what the Hebrew writers have
views put forward by him
general assent
It
:

actually said.

new

are, of course,

not likely to win

that

is

the case with all pioneering work.

is sufficient if

the most important of them prove to be

established on a firm basis of fact.

The kernel

of the

book

is

the history and architecture

of the Tabernacle.

There are mathematical calculations
they must be
is

involved in the architectural restoration of the Israelitish

sanctuary into which I will not follow him
left to the professional

;

mathematician.

It

naturally

only that part of Mr. Caldecott's researches which deals

with subjects familiar to
to write.

me

about which I

am

qualified

vi

PEEFACE.
He
has made considerable
iise

of the much-neglected

materials contained in the Books of the Chronicles,

and

has shown that
of

when properly understood they
than criticism

are

worthy

more

credit

nowadays
left
'

is
'

disposed to
of the future

allow.

That David should hare

plans

him may seem too modem an idea to many readers, but it is borne out by archaeological fact. Such plans were made in Egypt and Babylonia centuries before the days of David, and some of them have survived to our own time. The profession of the architect
temple-buildings behind
is

immensely old in the

civilised East.

One
is

of the points

upon which he has rightly
also

insisted is

the historical importance of the destruction of Shiloh.
a point to

It

which I
the

have drawn attention in

my
not

Early History of
detailed

Hebrews.
it

That there should be no

account
;

of

in the

Old Testament

is

surprising

Shiloh was the centre and

home

of

what

literary culture there

period of

was in Israel during the stormy the Judges, and its destruction necessarily meant
It

a break in the literary and annalistic record.

would

have been at the central sanctuary only that a yearly
chronicle of events could be kept.

The

destruction of Shiloh seems to correspond with an

archaeological fact

which

is

but just forcing

itself

upon

our notice.
'

The
'

earliest

monument

of

the

so-caUed

alphabet stiU remains the Moabite Stone, the date of which is the ninth century before our era. The
excavations which have been carried on

Phoenician

by the Palestine

Exploration

Fund on

the

sites of

various ancient cities in

the south of Canaan have failed to bring to light any

PREFACE.
earlier
relic

vii

of

tlie

'

PKcenician

'

alphabet.

The same
at

result

has

followed

on

the

Austrian

excavations

Taanach, where

the

Canaanitish

population

does

not

appear to have submitted to Israelitish rule until the
reigns of David and Solomon.

Before that date whatever

written documents have been found have been in the

language and cimeiform script of Babylonia.
the
official

At Taanach
and
it

records were kept in cuneiform,

is

probable that what was the case at Taanach was the case
also in other cities of the country.

In the Tel el-Amarna
is

tablets of the century before the

Exodus there

no trace

of

any other

script

being known.

On
letters,

the other hand, the Tyrian annals translated into
in ' Phoenician

Greek by Menander must have been written

and we know from Josephus that they went back to Hiram, the son of Abibal, the contemporary of David and Solomon. In the Book of Judges we have in the Song
of

Deborah and Barak a poem which
it

is

contemporaneous
it

with the events to which

refers.

Supposing that

was handed down in writing and not orally and the allusion to the stafE of the scribe ' in Judges v. 14 raises
'

—

a presumption in favour of this

—

^was it originally written

in cuneiform characters or in the letters of the 'Phoenician'

alphabet

?

If in the latter, the archaeological absence of
'

any

early example of the

Phoenician
It

'

script

is,

to say

the least, difficult to explain.
destruction of

may

be, then, that the

ShUoh marks the break between the

old

culture and the new, between the use of the cuneiform

syllabary and the Babylonian language that went along

with

it,

and that

of the

'

Phoenician

'

alphabet and the

viii

PREFACE.
Hebrew
tongue.
Th.e importance of the

Canaanitish or

fact in its relation not only to Israelitish history but also
to the composition

and text of the older books of the Old

Testament need not be pointed out.

In his restoration of the architecture of the Tabernacle,
Mr. Caldecott seems to
all events, if it is

me

to have been successful.

At
That

admitted, the Biblical description of the

building becomes inteUigible and self-consistent.

more than one cubit was employed in its measurement is what would be expected by anyone who was acquainted with the metrology of ancient Babylonia or who had Hved
in

modern Egypt.
that I

It

is

only with his interpretation of

the Senkereh tablet, or rather of the ideographs found in
it,

must part company from the author.
There are questions

His book once more impresses upon us the necessity of
archaeological research ia Palestine.

suggested by

it

which can be

settled only

by the spade of

the excavator.

If Mr. Caldecott is right in his theory as

to the origin of the

R&met

el-Khalil near Hebron, a

new

light will be cast on the social
Israel in the age of Samuel.
to say about to exclaim
:

and

religious condition of

And

in reading

what he has

ShUoh, more than once I have been inclined
'

Oh

that the site could be archaeologically

explored
its

!

'

Until Palestine has been

made

to yield

up

buried past like Egypt and Babylonia, the Old Testament will remain a battle-ground for disputants who have no solid basis of fact on which to stand.

INTRODUCTIOK
T WRITE
-*-

from tte once Holy
object of

City,

and ana happy in
has

knowing that the

my

visit to Palestine

been satisfactorily attained.
that object was, and in what

Let

me

say, in brief,

what

I brought with

me have

been solved.

manner the problems that I came prepared

with a literary demonstration of the cubit of the Bible,
as

given to the Royal Asiatic Society^ and included

in this volume.

That instrument I was desirous of

applying, as a test both of itself and of the subject, to the

most remarkable ruin within the limits of the ancient
Jewish
State.^

"When I say 'ruin' I

limit the term to

include only buildings dedicated to the worship of
or the service of man.
is

God

The

special ruin to

which I refer
though not

a

large

rectangular ground-figure enclosed within
stone walls,

monolithic

standing near

to,

visible from, the ancient

highway leading from Jerusalem

to

Hebron.

Countless travellers have looked on this

mysterious handiwork of

man

with reverence and wonder.

Each must have

speculated as to

who

reared

its

massive

masonry, and for what purpose.
^

Archaeologists

have

Eeproduced in

this

Tolume as Part

II. p.

107

et seq. I,

*

See Dr. Edward Eobioaoa'B descriptions in Part

Chapter 2, pp. 42, 43.

X

INTEODUCTION.

agreed that we have not here the remains of a church.

Nor
of

could these low walls of solid stone have been those
fortification, as

any military

the work
to

is of

too refined

and time-engrossing a character
the purposes of war.

have been done for
to
for

do

we owe

these

The questions remain, vast substructions, and
?

whom
what

purpose were they laid

To

these questions I believed

that I had an answer, and I was supremely anxious to
visit

Bamet el-KhalU and
this purpose I

to satisfy

myself on certain

points before giving that answer to the world.

For

made
the

my way
the

to

Hebron, where
Free

I was received

with

most cordial hospitality by
United

Dr. and Mrs. Paterson, of

Church

Medical Mission, stationed there.
I also received

From

Dr. Paterson

much-needed and invaluable assistance in

taking measurements, and in making other arrangements
necessary in a population so hostile to Christians as
that of
is

Hebron

to-day.

As

I

am

publishing, with this, a reconstructed plan

of the enclosure, together with

sundry photographs of

it,

I do not need to add

many

topographical details.

I may,

however, be allowed to show the significance of some
figures given in the

drawing of the Plan of reconstruction.

The first and in some respects the cardinal result attained by my measurements is a conviction that the Rdmet ruin is a work of Jewish, or rather of Israelitish origin,
and that the standard of length used in
is

its

construction
cubit.

that

of

the newly-discovered

Hebrew

The
is

thickness of the walls throughout, where perfect,

a

good

illustration of this fact.

The

foundation, wherever

INTRODUCTION.
visible,

XI
feet, or

has a uniform thickness of 6

5 cubits.

The foundation being
of the interior,
it is

built of this dimension to the level

then rebated or reduced by the length
is

of a single cubit,

and

4^

feet through.
ft.

Its height above

the foundation

is

6 cubits (7

2*4 ins.), each of the two
ft.

courses of stone having an average height of 3

7 ins.,

as stated in the Survey of Western Palestine, published

by

the Palestine Exploration

Fund

Society (vol.

iii.

p. 322).

A
,

similar

harmony runs throughout the whole

series

of actual measurements, the unbroken building cubit of
a-foot-and-a-fifth being the

common denominator
still

of all

the dimensions of original work
is

standing.^

This

particularly noticeable in the diameter of the well,
(9|-

which has a measure of 8 cubits
surrounded
(18 feet).

feet),

and

is

by a platform

15

cubits

in

the

square

One could not expect a
resisted

structure
of

that

may have
thousand
it

the

weathering

influence

three

years to show as crisp and exact a set of figures as
did

when

first

erected.

Nor must we
case

leave out

of

view the depredations of an ignorant peasantry.
this there
is

Of

a somewhat obvious
one
of

in the

rough

chiselling

of

the

border stones of the well-

platform into a trough out of which small cattle
drink.

may

Happily the stone

is still in situ.

Nor
perfect.

are the four walls which

formed the enclosure

That on the south
is

side is in

an almost unbroken
architects

1

This fact

of the first importance, as

Hebrew

did not usually use fractions in conjunction with whole cubits.
less

and builders For measures

than a single cubit, see pp. 220, 223.

XII

INTRODUCTION
many
is

condition,

of

its

stones being 12

and 15
squared.

feet in

length, laid without mortar, and truly

The

west wall
side.

in fair condition,* as is

a portion on the north

The

east wall has almost completely disappeared,

though

its line

can

still

be traced.
size

There

is

thus no

difiBculty

in determining the
constructed.
as
it

of the enclosure as

originally
interest

To
is

this

point

the

greatest

attaches,

well established that every

sacred area amongst the Jews was not built upon
its

by

surrounding wall, but was enclosed by

it.

Keeping
were

this principle in view, I

was careful

to see if there

any relation in size between the area enclosed at
and the primitive court of the Tabernacle
Nob, and Gibeon.

Udmet

—which, in the
that the

times of the Judges, stood successively at Gilgal, Shiloh,

As

the large or ground-cubit was used

in all such delimitations,

we know from Exodus
feet,

People's or Altar Court of the Tabernacle

was a square of
from
its

50 cubits or 75 English
of Sacrifice stood

and that the great Altar
line, equidistant

on

its

western

two ends.
that the

Judge of

my

surprised delight

when I found

Rdmet enclosure gave a square of 100 cubits or 160 English feet in the clear,^ showing it to have had an

area exactly four times that of the Tabernacle Court of
"Worship.

The growth of the nation

in the centuries that

passed between the great Lawgiver and the last of the

Judges would make such an enlargement necessary.
*

See photographs

of

portions

of

its

iuterior

and

exterior,

opposite

pp. 3 and 17. * Not including those portions of the foundation built only to the level of

the

floor.

INTEODUCTION.
I must no longer conceal from
the theory which I took with

xiii

my
to

readers the fact that

me

to ^Ealestine,

and which

I wished to

test

by an appeal

the topography of

Udmet, was that the enclosure now standing was built to suJTound with a stone fence 'the Altar to Jehovah that

Samuel

built in

Ramah/

about 1050

B.C. (1

Samuel

vii.

17).

In furtherance
enlarge for a
altar, as

of the correctness of this view let

me

moment on
all

the requirements of such an

deduced from
of
sacrifice.

that

we know
east

of the Mosaic

economy

Having an

aspect as

an

essential,^ there

would require

to be, in addition, to the for the

altar-court in

which the people assembled, space

ministrations of the priests and for the slaying of the
sacrifices.

In the Tabernacle these ends were attained by the
curtaining of a second square of 76 feet lying to the west.

There being no Tabernacle

at

Ramah, a compromise was

effected, by which a space about equal to one-third of the

Great Court was included within the stone-walling. The interior length of the enclosure is 204 feet, it having been
imperative that the additional width of 54 feet should be measurable either by the large cubit for Survey purposes
or

by the medium

cubit for building purposes.
is

I need

not point out that 54 feet

equal to 36 large and 46

medium cubits. The present condition
54
1

of the ruin shows that the added

feet was, at

one end of the addition, divided into three
walls at

The north and south

E&met run

east,

with an inclination of

i° to the south, as recorded in the third
Palestine.

yolome

of the

Survey of Wettem

xiv
squares of equal

INTEODUCTION.
size.

There

are, as partially

shown in
diflFerent

one of the photographs, two paved platforms (of

heights of paving) in the south-west corner of the
enclosure.

Mdmei

Each of

these

is

a square of 18 feet, a third

square of the same size intervening between them and the
line of the large quadrangle in

which the

altar stood.

This third square was probably used as a wood-pile for the
altar fires, the centre square as the place for the laver,

and

the corner square

still

retains its intended use as that in

which the well was dug that supplied water for the washing
of the sacrifices and the repeated ablutions of the priests.
It
is

not necessary here to linger over minor points of

coincidence, though there are

many

such.^

But
is,

I cannot

omit a short reference to the well

itself.

This

without

exception, the finest bit of ancient of the Bible.

masonry

in the

Land

Each stone is squared and set without mortar. The well, fed by an interior spring, was brimming full of clear water when I saw it, but each stone visible had a concave face, without margin or boss. The stones are not of a uniform size or thickness, but
each concentric circle or course was completely formed
of full-sized stones,
careful
all

of the

same thickness.
shows

No

such

and elaborate work
else

as this well

is to

be seen

anywhere

in Palestine, so far as

my

reading and

observation go.
1
'

The most obyious
'

of these

is,

perhaps, that of the ledges as

shown

in the

photograph and referred to in the table of references on the reconstruction plan. The length of these was possibly determined by the size of the stone slabs which rested on them, as they are not uniform and do not conform to the whole-cubic principle. As such tables were not ordered in the
interior
specification, a certain latitude

may haye been taken

in their construction.

mTRODUCTION.
Let

xv

me add

a few words of description as to the
place
at

desecration which has been allowed to take

R&met

in quite recent times.

The Fellaheen have been

permitted to build two walla of rubble atone across the
enclosure, dividing
it

into three nearly equal parts.

Two

of the three

spaces thus created have

been made into

gardens by carrying some tons of earth to overlay the
rock.
is

The space

to the west

in

which the well stands
further barred by

comparatively

clear.

All search for the main entrance
is

gate in the centre of the east wall

the erection, within the enclosure, of a rubble house,
untenanted.

Without the

line

of this wall

lie

great

heaps of stones piled in confusion.
stones that

Were

the earth and

now encumber

it

removed, the question of

Samuel's possible

connection with the

could be finally and authoritatively settled.

R&met el-Kh&lU The sills of

the north door and east gate might be recovered, and even
the foundation of the altar-base might be distinguishable.
It is to be

hoped that

private enterprise.

this work will not be left to The one man to whom it should be
Officer of the Palestine

entrusted

is

Mr. Macalister, the

Exploration Fund,

now working with
Should he be

a band of trained
set to

excavators in Palestine.

do the work

of verification, the confidence of the public in the accuracy

of any report that he
belief,

the

may make will be secured, and, in my Ramet el-Kh&Ul, when scientifically examined,
and most authentic

will take its place as at once the oldest

Palestinian memorial of Israel's past religious history.

In concluding

this very imperfect sketch of the origin

and probable use

of a

monument which may be found

xTi

INTRODUCTION.
Hebrew monarchy,
problem
Samuel's
of

to antedate tlie establisliment of the

and incidentally
of Biblical

to settle the greatest unsolved
i.e.

geography,

the

locality

Ramah, I may be permitted to ment given to me to make
Sidney
Hill, Esq., of

refer to the encourage-

these

investigations

by

and to

my

Langford House, Langford, Somerset, own sense of pleasure at being able to put

the results of

them

into such a

permanent record as we

have before us in this volume.

W.
Jerusalem.
February, 1904.

SHAW

CALDECOTT.

CONTENTS
PAOX

Pkeface by the Key. Peofessob A.H. Satce, D.D., LL.D.
Inteobuction
.

v
ix

PART I THE HISTORY OF THE TABERNACLE
Chapteu
I

TO THE DESTRUCTION OF SHILOH
The
from Kadesh from Kadesh
Sinai—First Kadesh — First departure — Second Kadesh— Second departure —Death Aaron — The Edomite route taken Early Stages —Passage the Jordan— The Tabernacle Gilgal— Removed Shiloh— Decay Faith— Fall ShUoh Returned Gilgal— Defeat the

ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SENKEREH TABLET
Glossary of principal Cuneiform characters used in the Senkereh

Tablet— The Senkereh Mathematical Tahlet— History of the Tablet— The Tablet columns— Deductions from the Tablet
Fraction signs—Value signs—Arithmetical sign
. . .

106-139

Chapter

II

THE RESTORATION OF THE SCALE OF GUDEA AND COINCIDENCES WITH THE SENKEREH TABLET
History of the Scale of

ITS

Gudea

— The

Scale itself

the Scale— Cuttings on the Scale—Palm of the Scale— The Sexagesimal System— Application of the Scale Babylonian

— Length —

of

length -measures

140-156

PART III THE TRIPLE CUBIT OF BABYLONIA AS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTIOIT OF THE TABERNACLE
Chapter
The
Biblical Cubit

I

THE ADJUNCTS AND ACCESSORIES OF THE TABERNACLE
conservatism

— Size

announced
of

—

'

Cubits

'

of three lengths

the

Tabernacle

Court

Plan of the Court The Gate of Sacrifice Gate of Worship Vestibule of the East Gate Dimensions of the Great Altar Position of the Great Altar Pre-Tabemacle
Enclosure

Tent

of

— — Worship —

—

—

— —

—Hebrew — The Court —The
eleven

Pillars

Curtains of the Tent

— The

of the

Tabernacle
of

— The

Screen

the

Tabernacle

—
157-192

External coverings

Chapter II

THE TABERNACLE WITHIN THE TENT
The Walls
Veil of the Sanctuary

— Holy Chambers exact in —The —The figured Curtains—Ventilation of the Chambers — The Tent portable— The Curtains not sewn Tent -ropes and pegs — Dormitories of the Tent— Gilding of the
of the Tabernacle
size

Tabernacle

193-213

CONTENTS.

XIX

PART IV THE TETPLE CUBIT IN BABYLONIA AND IN
PALESTINE
New light on the Tabernacle —The Small of the Talmud— The Stature of
Herodotus
Cubit as Span
Goliath — The Cubits —The Bira-Nimroud,—Influence of Babylon Asia
in

—Testimony
of

FAOI

215-231

Index

232

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
1,

CoNTBNTiONAi, Tabbknaclb 3, Tabernacle of Text

;

2,

Fergusson's Eestoeation
to

;

Frontispiece

The Ramet Enclosure —Exterior of West "Wall Reconstkuction of Samuel's Altar at Bamah
.

face

iz

XX
to face

Map

or Sinai Peninsula and Canaan

8

The S.AMET Enclosure Interior of "West Wall The Erection of the Tabernacle — First Stage
Second Stage
9>

made for journeying. Six covered wagons, each drawn by two oxen, were presented by the princes on behalf of the tribes, aijd, from the uses to which these were put, we gain a view
selected.

Preparations were then

of the relative sizes of the tabernacle parts,
portability of the whole construction.

and of the

To the

children of Kohath, the second son of Levi,

and the grandfather of Moses and Aaron, was relegated
the duty of carrying, upon their shoulders, the ark of the
covenant, the two altars (one of brass and one of gold),

and

all

the furniture and vessels of the sanctuary.

The

ark was wrapped in the most sacred veil, and the screen

was folded together and carried free. The removal of this portion of the structure was under the direct care and supervision of the High-priest, and
of the Tabernacle

did not allow of the use of any vehicle.

4

THE TABERNACLE.
To the Gershonites
fell
tlie

duty of conveying the

twenty-one curtains of the tent and the Tabernacle, the
skia covering of the tent, and the sixty linen-hangings
of the surrounding court,

with their pegs and ropes.

Besides these there were two screens.

One

of these

was
is

the embroidered screen of the east gate.
that which
of the court
is

The other
for

described
is

as

'the screen

the door
altar'
first

which
26).'

by the tabernacle and the

(Numbers

iii.

We

have, in these words, the

recognition in the text of that north
directly opposite to the brasen altar.
it

gate which was
learn also that

We

had

its

own

screen,

which was unembroidered and of

white linen, and was probably put in place only
the court of the Tabernacle was closed.
to

when
the

It

would require
closed

have been 15 feet

in

length to

have

opening.*

There would be a centre-post opposite the

line of the Soreg.

Eleazar, the prospective High-priest,
oversee this

was appointed

to

department of the transport, and two wagons

were detailed for his use.

To

the Merarites, as the descendants of the youngest

of the sons of Levi, the heavy
entrusted.

work

of the removal
12'

was

Forty-eight boards, each

x

l|-'x-i^', sixty

wooden standards, with their metal
'

sockets, twelve pillars

Unleas otherwise specified, all Scripture references of this volume are to the text of the Revised Version of the English Bible.

which was probably composed of two Samuel opened the doors of the house of the Lord (1 Samuel iii. 15). This was done at the dawninoof the morning, the offering of the morning sacrifice being completed before
^

It

was the removal of
that
is
'

this screen,

curtains,

referred to

in the words

'

the rising of the sun.

THE START FROM
and
fifteen

SINAI.

6

side

-

bars, together

with the two pieces of

the ridge-bar, were their care.

For the transport of the timber of the Tabernacle, four wagons were given, the whole being under the hand of Ithamar, the younger
son of Aaron.

1.

All was

now

materially arranged for a start from
still

Sinai.

But one duty

remained to be performed,
altar

which was the dedication of the brasen
(Exodus xxix. 37; Numbers
vii.

84-88).

by anointing Not until this
fulfilling its

was done was

it

'

most

holy,'

and capable of

great function in the economy of Jahvism.

A week
the altar.

was spent in the performance of

this

ceremony,

during which

many

gifts

were made for the service of

These were 'spoons' with which to handle

the incense, 'bowls' in which to convey the sacrificial

blood to the altar for sprinkling, and platters or trays on

which

to

carry the sacrificial joints.

All these

were

of gold or silver,

and remained

to after-times as part of

the utensils for the service of the altar.

This week of dedication followed the
of the passover in the wilderness,

first

solemnisation

and on the twentieth
lifted.

day of the second month the guiding cloud

The Tabernacle was The taken down, having stood for fifty days only. Gershonites moved forward first, as by the eleven curtains
In an instant
all

was activity

!

which they

carried, the

new

site for

the tent had to be

marked

out.^

The Merarites
For the reason

followed with the standards

^

of this see pp. 208 and 230.

6

THE TABERNACLE.
pillars to

and boards and
vessels,

be set up.

Last,

came the holy

which on arrival were placed, by priestly hands,
Such, repeated again
in

in the already-erected Sanctuary.

and again, was the order
from place
to place

which the Tabernacle moved
its history.

during the whole period of
direction taken
is

2.

The general

by the guiding cloud

in removing from Sinai

indicated in the words

'And

the cloud abode in the wilderness of Paran'
X. 12).

(Numbers

by Paran we are to understand 'that great and terrible wilderness which lay between Horeb and
If
'

Kadesh-Barnea

1

(Deut.

i.

19),

in the heart of Arabia,

now known
be

as

Badiet et- Tih, the pathless Wilderness,

the direction of the route taken by the Israelites will not
difficult of decision.

In

this

wilderness

the

oasis

of

Zin

(= lowland,

as

opposed to the uplands of the Negeb) was the tract of
pasture-land
'

now known

as the

Wady
its

Qadees

—the

term

wilderness

'

having reference to
or Kadis

non-occupation by

man, and not being meant

to describe its physical qualities.
is

The Wadp Qadees
is

an irregularly-surfaced plain,

several miles in diameter.

In

this fertile

amphitheatre
of

the

Ain Kadis, one or more never-failing springs
cliff,

clear water, rising at the foot of a limestone

which.

said to have gone down to the wilderness Carmel and Maon to Nabal, having heard that he was shearing his sheep. These places are about 68 miles north of Ain Kadis (1 Samuel xxv. 1). As all journeys were performed afoot, it is impossible to limit the northern extension of the term wilderness of Paran to any distance from Carmel greater than this would allow of. The more so as David claimed to have protected Nabal's property.
•

On

Samuel's death David

ia

'

of Paran.'

Thence he sent

to

'

'

PIRST AREIVAL AT KADESH.
flowing

7

down

the valley, spread fertility on either hand.

Before being they
fiU.

lost in the sand,

a few hundred yards away,

two stone wells or basins built up from the

bottom with limestone blocks.
for watering stock.

Around

lie

stone troughs

The

principal event of the first stay at Kadesh,

now

Kadis, was the sending of the spies in advance to search

out the land (Numbers

xiii.).

It is noteworthy that they

traversed the land, probably in companies of two or three,
as far as the pass oiSitnin in the latitude of Tyre, beginning

from the point at which the camp lay in the
territory,

oasis of Zin.

This rich valley was provisionally included in the national
the frontier of which ran
to
its

immediate

south (Numbers xxxiv. 4), and was allotted to the tribe
of

Judah (Joshua xv.
These

3).

facts will prepare us for the reception of a little

recognised aspect of the forty years' wanderings, which
is,

that with the exception of a short time spent in

travel across the Arabah, thirty-eight years were spent
at the central station of Kadesh-Barnea.

came when they encamped on the other side of the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh (Numbers xiii. 26).
It is a faint reminiscence of those far-off days of the

troglodyte

inhabitants

of

the oasis

of

Zin,

that the

name

of

the

neighbouring station of Hor-haggidgad,
of

=

the

cavern
it

Gidgad

(Numbers

xxxiii.
is

32), has

prefixed to

the Horite name. died

This

the

Mount
and
of

Hor on which Aaron
which
Edom,'
is

(Numbers xx.
'

23),

stated

to

be

situated
its

by
the

the
to

border

thus

showing
is

proximity
in

Kadesh,'

of

which the same
the same chapter. a
later

predicated

16th

verse of

To
it

this subject

we must

return on

page, as

is

the hinge on which the whole

question of the later stages of the Exodus route turns.
*

1.

Tke

biblical indications as to the situation of

Kadesh

are these

:

It was eleven days ordinary caravan journey from Horeb when (1) travelling the Edom road (Deut. i. 2). cai-avan travels from iifteen to eighteen miles per diem. The direct distance from Sinai to Ain Kadis ig

A

one hundred and fifty miles. In the itineraries of Numbers seventeen marches are given by name, showing that those taken by the host were shorter than was usual. This is what we might anticipate. a city ' on the edge of the boimdary of Edom (2) Kadesh is described as
'

SINAI PENINSULA
AND

CANAAN
(LLU.^TFiATlNG THE F.XOPUS FROM 51NAI

\f

ROLITE OF tXODuS

K

MEDITERRANETAN

SEA

<" -^^-r^KA-^vp^

'^^'^

"^^ ^

'0
t
e.

-r-

./Ul/

riEST DEPARTURE FROM KADESH.
3.

9

As has been

stated, the first year of the

wanderings

was spent in travelling
there.

to Sinai

and

in a prolonged stay-

Sinai was left on the twentieth day of the second

month of the second year of the Exodus (Numbers x. 11). The actual days of travel to Kadesh were seventeen, but
there were delays, as at Hazeroth, where they 'abode'

and rested (Numbers

xi. 35).

It

is

thus impossible to fix

the time of the arrival at the wells of the Beni-Jaakan,

but the stay there was

suflficiently

long to allow of the

forty days' absence of the twelve spies.

On

the morrow after their defeat by the Amorites at

the place afterwards called

Hormah (Numbers
was bidden

xiv. 25,

and Deut.

i.

44), the congregation

to leave

(Numbera xx. 16 and xxxiv. 3). It was then occupied by the Hebrew The Ir,' and was otherwise unclaimed. as an enclosed place, or calling of it a city is an imdesigned proof of its long-continued occupation by the Hebrew host. (3) The well Beer-lahai-roi is described aa being between Kadesh and Bered (Genesis xvi. 14). As Bered is identified with Ealasah, thirteen
nost,
'
'

'

miles south of Beersheba, the geographical conditions suit Ain Kadis. (4) It lay to the south of Aiad, now Tell Arad (Numbers xiy. 45 and xsi. 1-3). Ain Kadis is almost due south of Tell Arad. The (5) It was near the hill country of the Amorites (Deut. i. 20). Amorites are described as living in the ' mountain or elevation on which Arad was situate (Deut. i. 44).
'

The wUdemess of Zin, the same is Kadesh (Numbers xxxui. 36). The waters of Meriboth-Kadesh (Ezekiel xlvii. 19 and xlviii. 28).
' '

(7)
(8)

Kadesh- Bamea has ten occurrences in the Hexateuch. Meribah ' has five occurrences in the Pentateuch and Psalms.
'

10

THE TABEENACLE.
Red
journey into the Wilderness of This the humiliated people did, and they
tlieir
flies, is

Kadesh, and take
the
Sea.

reached Ezion-Geber, which, as the crow
five miles south of

seventy-

Kadesh.
disgrace

Of

that

journey of
is

and

punishment
stations at

not

a single incident

recorded.

Of the

which
if

we exclude the two termini (Numbers xxxiii. 32-36). The They return journey is described in a single sentence
they must have encamped, three only are named,
'
:

journeyed from Ezion-Geber and pitched in the wilderness
of Zin, the It
is

same

is

Kadesh.' that

appropriate

an

expedition

which

was

altogether punitive should find mention in the historical
records of that time, and nothing more.
fact of
it

Beyond the

removing them from further attack by the Amorites
object, except a

had no apparent

moral one.
to

Eight or ten months would seem

have been spent

on

this expedition.

This period

is

arrived at

by the
Kadesh

statement that they went
anniversary
(Deut.
ii.

over the brook Zered on the

of

their

first

departure

from

14).

If there are no exact data to give us the time of their
first

departure from Kadesh,

we know
first

to a

few days the

date of their return.
of Zin (to

'They came

into the wilderness
'

abide there) in the
this

XX. 1).
of their

That

was the

first

month (Numbers month of the third year
to

wanderings hardly admits of doubt

an unbiassed

mind.
time to

Kadesh in keep the Passover on the fourteenth day of that
It is probable that they arrived at
is

month, but no mention

made

of

the fact.

As

the

SECOND ARRIVAL AT EADESH.
the wilderness (Amos
seasons

11

ordinary sacrifices were not offered during the years in
ii.

10

;

v. 25),

it

is

possible

the

were

merely
of

observed
things,
as
xii.

without
regards
5-9.

them.

This
is

provisional

state

sacrifices,

referred to

by Moses in Deut.

It thus transpires that two whole years were spent

by

the fugitives from Egypt in wandering from place to
place.

These were the

first

two of the

forty.

It is to

these years that the Psalmist refers
*

They wandered They found no

in the wilderness in a desert
city of habitation.

way

Hungry and
Then they

thirsty,

Their soul fainted in them.
cried unto the

Lord

in their trouble,

And He delivered them out of their distresses. He led them also by a straight way,
That they might go
to a city of habitation
'

(Psalm
that
*

cvii.

4-7)

city

*

being
16).

the

enclosed

camp

at

Kadesh

(Numbers xx.

4. Having arrived at Kadesh for the second time, the

congregation and the Tabernacle did not again remove
until

thirty- seven years

had
first

passed.^

Aaron's death

took place at the first station after their final departure,

and

it

occurred on the

day of the

fifth

month

of the fortieth year of their exile
*

(Numbers

xxxiii. 38).

The

sentence pronounced upon

them

for their unbelief

was not that they
'

should be 'wanderers forty years,' but that they should be
•wilderness
'

shepherds in the

for that time

(Numbers

xiv, 33,

margin)

12
This

THE TABEKNACLE.
was
the
fifth

lunar

month
the

after

the
of

Spring
July or

equinox,

and corresponds with

end

beginning of August.
years before,

In March or April thirty-seven the congregation had arrived there from
years,

Ezion-Geber.

Of
Deut.
adult

these
ii.

thirty -seven

the

1,

few or no incidents
of

'many days' of The are recorded.
under
sentence
of

males

the

nation

were

death, and during these years the merciful
fell

punishment

gradually and almost insensibly.
incident of ingratitude and rebellion, which had
is

One

far-reaching consequences,
incident
so

recorded.
this,

It

is

the only
it

recorded,

and

not

because

was

intended to give any particulars of the history of the
people, but because
it

became the reason

for the exclusion

of

That Aaron and Moses from the promised land. murmuring the people of course, the of event was,
there

because

was no water,

or

not

enough

water

(Numbers xx. 2-13). This solitary incident of the thirtyseven years at Kadesh has suffered misapprehension in
two
directions.

One, by confounding

it

with a similar

outbreak at Rephidim soon after the
Sinai

departure from

(Exodus

xvii.

1-7).

But the

two

outbreaks

are clearly distinguished in the blessing of

Moses

— the

former being called Massah

(=

proving), and the latter

Meribah^
is

(=

strife),

(Deut. xxxiii. 8).

The other mistake

that of supposing that the

water from the smitten

rock 'followed' the wandering tribesmen in their long
'

This name was, at the

first,

applied to the sin at Eephidim (Exodus

XTii. 7),

but was afterwards reserved to Kadesh.

SECOND DEPARTURE FROM KADESH.
pilgrimage.
of Paul's

13

This idea

words
'

—

is

based upon a superficial view
of a spiritual

'

They drank

Rock

that

followed them

(1 Corinthians x. 4).

As now

explained,

the thirty -seven years stay of the Tabernacle at Zadesh
renders such false exegesis impossible
flow of water continuing for
its

— the

increased

that time, and following

own law

of gravitation.

The limestone rock
Christ,

at

Ain Kadis became a type of
argument with regard
to

and the source and

constancy of its increased flow the point of the Apostle's
it.

5,

As Aaron died immediately
first
it is

after

the departure
fifth

from Kadesh-Barnea on the
of the fortieth year of exile,

day of the

month

evident that but eight

months elapsed between that event and the crossing of
the Jordan on the tenth

day of the

following

year

(Joshua

iv.

19).

Of

this

period of eight months, one

was spent on

the plains of

Moab mourning

for the death

of Moses (Deut. xxxiv. 8), and another at
for the death of

time spent in

Aaron (Numbers xx. 29). travelling from Kadesh, and in the conquest
till

Mount Hor The actual

of Eastern Palestine,

the arrival at Jordan, coidd

not have been more than six months.

As

the river

was crossed four days before the holding of the passover in Spring, these were the months of "Winter.
It

was thus early Autumn when the host

finally

moved from the wells of Kadesh on its last journey. The direction taken was eastward, with a northern inclination. A single copyist's error in Numbers xxi. 4
has lead to a prevalent belief that the promised land

14

THE TABERNACLE.

was reached by way of the Red Sea.
to

We

have but

read Salt Sea for 'Red' Sea in
iii.

that verse, as in

Deut.

17,

and the harmony of the whole narrative
possibly

is restored.

The change was But

made

to bring the

text into accord with the same phrase in

Deuteronomy

(Deut.
first

ii.

1).

in this case the reference is to the
is

departure from Kadesh, and
is

historically right.

In the other the reference
south of the Dead Sea.

to

the second departure

from Kadesh, when the route lay across the Arabah,
There
but one broad valley of access that leads to

is

the oasis of Zin, so that the

Hebrew
it.

host,

both in coming

and going, had
the
east,

to travel

by

This valley runs from

and terminates

at the foot of a singular

and
It
ia

isolated peak,

which they passed and re-passed.
in the text as

variously

known

Moseroth, Numbers xxxiii. 30.
^

Moserah, Deut. x.

6.

Hor-haggidgad, Numbers xxxiii. 32.

Mount Hor, Numbers

xxxiii. 38.

A

comparison of these texts will show that the

Hebrew
first

host camped at the foot of this mountain on their
visit to

Kadesh, and that they again pitched their tents
at this time that
is

there on their final departure from Kadesh.
It

was

Aaron
is

died,

and

to the fact of

his burial there
to
1

to be attributed its

change of name

Mount Hor, which name
'

equivalent to the
as equal to

Mount

Moserah or Moseroti must be considered
i.

Mount Hor

(Hastings' Dictionary, vol,

p. 805).

DEATH OF AARON.
of Mounts.

15

Deut. x. 6
died.^

is definite

in telling us that at

Moserah Aaron

stands this remarkable and isolated

Within a march of Ain Kadis hill, which bears the

Arabic name of Jebel Moderah, and which the weight of
evidence shows to have been the place of Aaron's death

and

burial.

The

similarity of

name

to

Moserah

will not

escape notice.

6. It

was during the thirty days mourning

for

Aaron

that the

King

of Arad, living in the Negeb,

showed signs

of hostility to the stragglers

Hebrew

host,

and captured some of the

from the camp.

These were probably herdsmen
stock.
still

and shepherds in charge of grazing

The

ruins of the city

Arad

are

to be seen

on

a white-crowned hill about sixteen miles south of Hebron,

and are known as
offensive action of

Tell Arad,

Ain Kadis being about
for the

eighty miles from Hebron.

The reason given the king in the Negeb is,
spies'

that he

heard Israel was moving, from their long stay at Kadesh,

'by the way
the host
is

of

the

(marg.

Numbers

xxi.

1).

Clearer testimony than this as to the direction taken

by

hardly to be desired.

The consequence

of his

*

The
it

parenthesis of Deut.

x.

6 and 7 not only breaks into Moses'

narrative of events, but associates the Jirst departure of the host from Kadesh,

when

travelled to Ezion-Geber

by way

of Jotbathah

33-34), with the second departure from Kadesh,

(cf. Numbers sxxiii. when Aaron died. If

verse 8 be read in immediate succession to verse 5, the sense will be clear,

and the

facts related in

them

will be seen in their true perspective.

The

Eevised Version's inclusion of verses 8 and 9 within the parenthesis is misleading. Meanwhile the present readings of w. 6-7 cannot be defended
in their sequence.

While both contain statements
anterior to that of the former.

of historical truth, that of

the latter verse

is

16
action

THE TABERNACLE.
was a national resolution
XX. 16-18, and to
if

to

carry out the ban

of Deut.
breathed,

save nothing alive that

God gave

victory.

The struggle is very briefly described (Numbers xxi. 1-3). The Canaanites were delivered up, and the place
called

Hormah (=

devoted).

This

is

not a proper name,

but an appellative, signifying the total destruction to

which every living thing was doomed within the town
or district so described.

We

have a similar use of the

word in the case of Zephath, a town destroyed by Judah
after the death of

Joshua (Judges

i.

17).^

which Arad was
of

treated, as a place

The fury with beyond the bounds
sufficient severity

humanity and mercy, was a blow of

to prevent further molestation,

and the way
xiv.

to the

Arabah
44, 45).

lay open.

It was, of course, the place of their defeat

thirty-eight years before
It

(Numb.
the

45

;

Deut.

i.

was

also

during

stay at

Mount

messengers were sent to Petra, the capital of
request permission for the
their territory.

Hor that Edom, to

Hebrew

host to pass through

Thirty-eight years before, similar permission had been

asked for and had been refused (Numbers xx. 14-21).

The terms
travellers

offered
to

now were

the same as then, that the

were

go upon the highway, and to pay for

anything consumed by themselves or by their stock.
^ By tke time of David one of the two places was known by the name of Hormah, which had then superseded the Canaanite name (1 Samuel xxx. 30). Zephath is probably meant, as its name was oflclcially changed to Hormah

(Judges

i.

17),
4).

(Joshua xii.
direction

and as such it was apportioned to the division of Simeon Zephath, now Sebaita, is about 25 miles in a N.N.E.

from Ain Kadis.

THE EDOMITE ROUTE TAKEN.
During
these years
this,

17

many changes had
that

taken place, and
the

amongst others

a

sense

of

miraculous

preservation and defence of the

Hebrew

host

had penetrated

the mind of the Edomite king and people.

The consent now asked for was granted, being based upon the results which a refusal would have entailed. The congregation, therefore, prepared to leave Mount Hor and to enter the
Edomite
(Deut.
territory, a

special order of care

and warning
the

being issued by Moses in anticipation
ii.

of

march
'

2-8).

This order contains two indications of

the direction to be taken.

One
is

is

in the words

Turn
they

you northward
that,

'

;

the other

a statement of the fact
territorj',

having passed through the Edomite

travelled

by the

great

road

which,

even then,

ran

northward from Ezion-Geber in the direction of Damascus.

The

fact of this concession

from the children of Esau

in Seir, having been so generally overlooked

by

writers

dealing with this period of
is

Hebrew
it

history,

is

one which
to,

the more remarkable as

is

twice referred

as

a fact, in the second chapter of Deuteronomy,

In verse 4
learn that
it

we have

it

spoken of in anticipation, and in verse 29

in retrospect.

From

the latter reference

we

Moab

acted in a somewhat

similar way,'

and that

'

The

action of

Moab
xxiii.

is

to be difEerentiated

from that of

Edom by

the

statement of Deut.
did not meet
travelled
it

4,

with

gifts of

when the host came from Egypt they bread and with water in the way. The route
that

of the great highway through Eor-of-Moab and Dibon, but they are described as pitching on the other side of Amon, which is in the Their stations are given as Beer, Mattanah, wilderness (Numbers xxi. 23).

was not that

They thus kept away from Moab towards the east, and obeyed the injunction not to meddle with Moab. By this route they
Nahaliel, and Bamoth.

18

THE TABERNACLE.
until tlie river

was not

Arnon was reached

that fighting

became necessary.

7,

The
of
is

conclusion

thus

plainly

stated

as

to

the

direction

the

Exodus taken

after

leaving

Kadesh

borne out by the particulars of the case, if the stations at which the Hebrews camped be examined. The earlier of these need only occupy our attention, as

Barnea

the distance across Seir, between Jehel Moderah and the

Wady
miles,

Hessi

(

= the

brook Zered),

is

not more than sixty

and four intermediate names only are given. Each of them represents a day's march, of about twelve miles.
First Stage.

Kadesh Barnea
Second Stage.

to

Mount Hor.

On

leaving

Mount Hor, the
^

'

king's

way

'

of

Numbers

xx. 17

would lead them at once to the

descent into the valley or

Ghor

of

Akabah.

The

watershed of the Akabah
the two seas, and
is

lies

about midway between

above the level of
that

more than 2,000 feet the Dead Sea. It is evident
rather

any king's way passing

from east to west

found the rivers shallower and more easy of passage. After the passage of the Arnon they turned westward, and this brought them into conflict with In his endeavour to avoid this, Moses offered the King of the Amorites. Heshbon to buy food and water for money, as he had done from Edom and from Moab. This was refused. Till this time there were both sales

and
I

gifts.

This will have been the old Babylonian highway. Gen. xiv, 6, 7.

EARLY
would go
there,

STAGES.

19

as nearly as possible over the saddle of

the Akabah,
it

As, however, no water
deflect a little

is

to

be found

would

either to south or

north, so as to secure for travellers this necessary

element.
a

To

the north

of

the

watershed
in

flows

perennial

stream,

named

El-Jeib,

a valley

which widens out from a width of half-a-mile to
a breadth of ten miles.
of the

Twenty-four miles south
level

Dead

Sea,

and at the

of the

Medi-

terranean (1,292 feet above the

Dead

Sea), are

some

remarkable lacustrine terraces of marl, sand, and
gravel, with abundant water

flowing below them,

lined with thickets of palm, tamarisk, willow,
reeds.

and

As the first station was named Zalmonah
it is

at
(

which the host encamped
or shady places),
these, or similar terraces

= terraces

possible that

it

was on
the

further

west,

that

camp was
a road

pitched.

The
its

name

itself is

evidence that the Tabernacle and
travelling

attendants were

which lay in

terraces one above another.

Third Stage.

The next
and
is

station

was named Punon

(

= ore-pits),

to

be sought on the eastern side of the

Ghor, and north of the city of Petra (Numbers
xxiv. 19).

In the

required
is

position,

east-of -south

of

the

Dead

Sea,

a

site

named Phanon, where were

copper -mines mentioned by Eusebius and Jerome.

30

THE TABERNACLE.
They He
in
'

parched places in the wilderness, a
6).

salt

land and not inhabited' (Jeremiah xvii.

Hence we read

that the soul of the people

was

much
from

discouraged

because of the way (Numbers

xxi. 4), for there
this station
it

was neither bread nor water.

As

ttey are said to have pitched in

Oboth,

was appropriately here that the brasen

serpent was
xxi. 10

made and
xxxiii.

uplifted

(compare Numbers
tract they followed

and

43).

The

was naturally one of ascent from the valley of the
Ghor, which made the want of water the more
It does not appear that their sufferings
felt.

from

thirst

were in any way mitigated.
Fourth Stage.

The king's way,
travel,

in

which Moses

promised to

was almost certainly one which led from the
site of

west to the

the capital, afterwards Petra.
host,

It to

was one which the advancing
crossing the Ghor.

on

its

way

the ford of the Zered, would have to abandon after

The want

of a beaten track

would

greatly increase the difficulties of travel, as well as

We find them through a waterless country. encampment was one which had no recognised name. There was again no water for the famished herds, and the thousands
take
accordingly, that the next place of
of travellers
skins.

were wholly dependent on their water-

Little
(

wonder that they
-

called

this place

Oboth
a

=

water

skins),

and

that

it

remained

memory
beast.

of great sufferings

endured both by

man

and

PASSAGE OF THE JORDAN.
Fifth Stage.

21

The fourth intermediate station, which took them to what is now the great Haj road, was variously named lye-abarim (= the passages of the Hebrews)
and Izim (Numbers xxi.
a march south of the
IJ

and

xxxiii. 45).

It lay

Wady

Hessi,

which by

its

name

Zered

is

known

to

have been the boundary between

Edom and Moab.

A village,
now

Ime,

may

still

be found Here,

on the main road a few miles south of Zered.
doubtless, the overjoyed host
sufferings, as

saw the end of their
again in the track of

they were

caravans, and would go from water to water.

We

do not hear of any further hardships from
Sixth Stage.

this source.

This was from the Passages of the Hebrews to the
tributaries of the brook Zered,

and the remainder

of their journey to the plains of

Moab

is

too well

known
8.

to require recapitulation.

During

all

the travel in the wilderness and across

the Arabah, south of the

Dead

Sea, the

Ark

of the
x,

Covenant had preceded the hosts of the Lord (Numbers
33)
;

and not

until

it

came

to the

banks of the Jordan was

the order given that a space of 1,000 yards, or 2,000 cubits,

was

to intervene between the priests

who bore

it

and the

crowds of men, women, and children who followed.

The crossing took place on the 10th day Abib (= April), and four days afterwards
of the fortieth year

of Nisan or

the passover

was held (Joshua

iv.

10, 14).

The

33

THE TABERNACLE.
iii.

parenthesia of Joshua

15

is tlius

to

be understood in

the sense of tke waters being low at the time of crossing,
as it

was only in Summer, wben the snows of Hermon
its

were melting, that

banks overflowed.
the
host under Joshua

Having
found

crossed

tke Jordan,

itself in a

new, unknown, and hostile land, with no
it.

cloud of light to guide

The

first

consideration

was

to find a place

on which to

pitch the sacred tent
death, for
is slain
*

—a

place which was undefiled
field

by

whosoever in the open

toucheth one that

with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man,

or a grave, shall be unclean'
therefore necessary to alight

(Numbers

xix. 16).

It

was

have been uninhabited of

upon some spot which should man, and of which the soil
Such a spot was found

should have been undisturbed.

41 miles west of the Jordan, and 1-^ miles east of Jericho (= Tell Jiljulieh). Here the twelve stones, brought from
the bed of the Jordan, were erected, not in a megalithio
circle of a

few yards in diameter, but as twelve boundarycircle

stones

marking out the

(=

the Gilgal), of which
limits

the

camp was

to consist.

Within these

was the

'clean place'

(Lev. x. 14), within which the sacrifices

might be
still

eaten.'

On

the site described as Jiljulieh are

some twenty-five mounds scattered irregularly over

an area one-third of a mile wide.
Here, then, the Tabernacle was erected, and here
it

remained
1
'

till

the land had rest from

war (Joshua
is

xi. 23).

In the East, at the present time, a sanctity
is

attached to the spot from
late

•which any holy place

visible.'

Quoted by the

George Grove, in

Smith's Dictionary, vol.

ii.

p. 388, n. h.

THE TABERNACLE AT GILGAL.
This was a period of at least seven years from the
occupation of Gilgal, as

23
first

the son

we know from the of Jephunneh, who was 40 years old
and 85

plea of Caleb
at the spying

of the land

at the time of his request,

38 of the

intervening 45 years having been spent in the wilderness

(Joshua xiv. 7—10).
did not lose
lasted, as is
its

But

Gilgal, as a once sacred spot,

sanctity while the

kingdoms

of Israel

shown

in the prophecies of

Hosea and Amos.

9.

The
the

site of

Gilgal was within the territory allotted

to Benjamin, but it is not

named
given

as

one of
its

its

cities,

for

reason

already

of

having

been

uninhabited.

"While the

camp

stood at Gilgal the allsite

important question arose as to the choosing of a
for the

permanent location of the Tabernacle.

No more
spiritual

deeply engrossing matter could have been debated, as

any new
TJrim and

site

would

necessarily

become the

capital of the twelve tribes.

Unless counselled by the

Thummim

(Deut. xxxiii. 8),
its

we may be sure

there were those

who advocated

retention at Gilgal.

And

when, possibly by divine appointment, a change

was decided upon, the mutual jealousy of the tribes had The tribe of Ephraim had to be met and overcome.
already shown signs of that autocratic spirit (Joshua xvii.

14-18) which ultimately led to the disruption of the

Kingdom.

As the
it

heirs

of Joseph's birthright,

they

claimed, from the
their territory

first,

pre-eminence in Israel, and to

was determined to remove the tent.
Seven years of

This decision was based on military considerations as
well as on ecclesiastical and civil ones.

24
constant

THE TABERNACLE.
war had shown the Hebrews that
foes

their

most

formidable

were the

Philistines of the
it

sea-coast.

These remained unsubdued, and
to place the sanctuary of

was thought advisable
eastern
side
its

God on the
largest

of

the terrain, and amid

its

and one of
this

most
the

warlike

tribes.

Not only
had

was
their

done,
cities

but
in

aristocratic

Kohathites

ten

the

contiguous tribes of Ephraim,

West Manasseh, and Dan,
Levites, were enrolled for

The Kohathites, like the other war at twenty years of age.
Further, the choice of a
fact that every adult

site

was influenced by the
to

male was required

attend the

Tabernacle service at each of the three annual festivals.

These included the two and a half tribes beyond the
Jordan.
it

If a glance at a

map

of

the tribes be taken
is

will

be seen that the

site

of Shiloh

about

midway

between

Dan and Beersheba, and midway between Mount Gilead and Joppa. The situation was not ill-chosen for the purposes of
a contemplative faith, as well as for security in time of

strife.

No
soil,

building

had by any

possibility

brought
it

death and desecration to the spot.
virgin
as

Like Gilgal,
situation

was
for

the choice of a name, taken

from the

blessing of Jacob, showed.

The

selected

the house of
It

God

is

minutely given (Judges xxi. 19).

was north of Bethel (twelve miles), south-east of Lebonah {=Lubban, three miles), and four miles to the east of the great highway which then ran, and still runs, from Bethel to Shechem.

The

distance of Shiloh from Gilgal

is less

than twenty

EEMOVED TO SHILOH.
miles,

25
all its

and over these miles the Tabernacle and

furniture was removed during the lifetime of Joshua.

The now deserted site of SeilAn not impossibly presents much the same appearance as it did then. There are
a few ruins and some reek-hewn sepulchres.
lie

The

last

outside the Taanath-Shiloh
xvi. 6),

(=

the circle of Shiloh,

Joshua

which corresponded

to the circle of GUgal,

and was formed by a complete circle of hills wbich surrounds the soft eminence where once stood the
Tabernacle.
'featureless/

Stanley

characterizes

the

landscape

as

So be

it.

and as being neither beautiful nor grand. Through Its glory was other than of earth.

the two passages in the hills around, the thousands of
Israel poured,

amid scenes of joyousness and
xi.

gaiety, for

two or three centuries (Judges
great highway

26).

One

of these

rocky gates leads to the plain on the south, and to the
;

the other, in the east, to the fountain,
as

where the daughters of Shiloh gathered, then,

now,

to

draw water.
Land,

Robinson pronounces this water to be of
Like
all

excellent quality.
its

other springs in the

Holy
the

volume has much decreased, owing
it is
still

to

deforesting of the country, though

abundant.

Being a new
a levitical
city,

creation, Shiloh was neither a priestly nor

and

is

not

named

as one of the towns of

Ephraim, though the southern border of the country of Ephraim ran south of the circle of hills in which the
basin of Shiloh stood.

No

events of striking national

importance took place there while the Tabernacle stood.
It was was not intended that they should do so. thought enough that the sacrifices were offered and the It

26
ritual of the
'

THE TABERNACLE.
Law
observed.

The fervour

of earlier^ years,

"When thou wentest after me in the wilderness/ was lost, and there must have been some great ecclesiastical
convulsion by which the High-priesthood was transferred

from the elder branch of the house of Aaron
younger.

to

the

Of

this the history says nothing.

It records,

in later books, the

names of certain High-priests of the But these are only time of Joshua and the Judges.
a selection, as between Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron,

and the time of the prophet Samuel, a period of two centuries, the chronicler has preserved five names only
(1

Chron.

vi.

4-7, 50-53).

the histories of the time, Captivity documents.

Even and we

these are not given in derive

them from
is

post-

A

fact such as this

one of evil

omen Book

for

the characters of the

men

themselves.

The

of Judges, itself a record of heroes

and heroic deeds

for God, contains the

name

of no head of the Tabernacle
if

worship, and no reference to the Tabernacle,

we except

the rather scornful advice to the Benjamites to abduct

two hundred daughters of Shiloh at the yearly passoverfeast of the Lord, the

two other
of

feasts

being apparently

neglected.

The age was one
lost.

disorganization,

when
and

every

man

did that which was right in his

own

eyes,

the power of law was

There

is positive

evidence to

the same effect in the words.
'

After the death of Joshua

there arose another generation, which

knew not

the Lord,
Israel

nor yet the work that
(Judges
ii.

He had wrought

for

10).

The Tabernacle
after a perfunctory

daily services were doubtless observed

manner, but they would seem

to

have

DECAY OF FAITH.
had
little effect

27
to soften their

upon the
raise

people,

either

manners or

to

their

morals.

The two gloomy

appendices to the
xviii.,

Book of Judges in chapters xvii., and xix.-xxi. are intended to set forth this aspect
imminent danger of apostacy from Sudden and unearned prosperity had fallen
in

of the nation's character.

The nation was
Jehovah.

upon

and they loved the creature more than the gift more than the Giver. For its unfaithfulness the priesthood was changed, and when Samuel appears upon the scene, as a little lad, we find
it,

Creator

— the

Eli, of the

house of Ithamar, judging Israel.

10.

Samuel

was

still

a

young man,
fell,

when the

accumulated wrath of offended Deity
blow,

in one heavy

upon both priest and people. War with the Philistines had broken out; an expression used by the
conquerors,
'

Be

not servants to the Hebrews as they

have been to you,' shows that the war was in the nature
of a revolt, and
tribute

had been preceded by some years of and slavery on the part of the Israelites. The
it

oppression having become intolerable,

was determined,
throw
off the

by a combined
Philistine yoke.

effort of all the tribes, to

An army
Ebenezer.

of thirty thousand footmen

^

(1

Samuel
in

iv.

10)

assembled at a spot near Beth-Shemesh, afterwards named

The
is

Philistines

had

their

camp
it

Aphek.

This word
'

not here a proper name, as

has the definite
being

These are the numhers of the

text, but, like others, are given here as

subject to future correction.

28

THE TABERNACLE.
it, i.e.

article prefixed to

the

Aphek (=the

aqueduct),

tte watercourse of the

Beth-Shemesh, being
the

Wady Ohurah, the valley above intended. At the first engagement

Hebrews

lost

about 4,0Q0 men, and the honours of war

were with the enemy.
imminent, and
it

A
felt

decisive battle

now became
a council of

was

that nothing should be left

undone

to secure the nation's freedom.
fight, the

At

war held before the

unprecedented proposal was
the two sons
of the

made
of Eli,
hostile

to fetch the

Ark
It

of the Covenant from Shiloh
it

30 miles distant.

came, and with
guardians.

who were
camps
is

its

The proximity
its

indicated

by the

fact that the Philistines
arrival in
fertile,

heard the shouting which welcomed

camp.

The
one

plain of Siirdr,

still

beautiful

and

was the
of

probable scene of the previous engagement and of the

about

to
is

follow.

The

misplaced
'

confidence

the Israelites

embodied in the words,
It

It shall save

us out of the hand of our enemies.'

was no longer

Jehovah, but the material ark that was the hope of the
tribesmen and their Elders.
of
!

So low had fallen the faith Abraham's sons To this act of national apostacy Eli must have been an acquiescent party. He was the High-priest, and without his permission the ark could not have been removed from Shiloh.

In what might be called the Battle of Beth-Shemesh the revolt was extinguished in blood. The ark was captured, Hophni and Phinehas dying in its defence.
All

organized
fled

resistance
to

was

broken

down.

Every
at the

Israelite

his tent,

and the country was

mercy

of the invaders.

Over what followed the Hebrew

FALL OF SHILOH.
historians

29
not mentioned,
certain that

draw a

veil of silence.

Shiloh

is

except as the place of Eli's death.
it fell into

Yet

it is

the hands of the Philistines, and long centuries

afterwards the prophet Jeremiah appealed to the voice
of history to declare that this destruction

was

'

for the

wickedness of
fullest

My people Israel'

(Jeremiah

vii. 12).

The

account of the shame, disgrace, and misery that
little city

followed on the sack of the

within the limits of
:

Ephraim,
*

is

contained in one of the Psalms of Asaph
of

The children

Ephraim, carrying
of battle

slack

bows

\_Ewald'\,

Turned back in the day

They provoked Him to anger with their high places. And moved Him to jealousy with their graven images. When God heard this, He was wroth,

And
The

greatly abhorred Israel

So that

He

forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,

tent which

He

placed

among men

;

And delivered His strength into captivity. And His glory into the adversary's hand. He gave His people over also unto the sword And was wroth with His inheritance.
Fire devoured their young

;

men

And their maidens had no marriage-song. Their priests fell by the sword
And
their

widows made no lamentation.'
(Psalm
Ixxviii. 9, 58-64.)

In the presence of this patriotic reticence, it is impossible to say, from the evidence of the contemporary records, whether the sacred tent fell into the hands of
11.

30
the Philistines.

THE TABERNACLE.
It is probable that it did not

do

so,

but that immediately on the receipt of the news that

who were in charge of it, This would hastily folding it together, moved it away. be done in the absence of the Ark of the Covenant (its
caused Eli's death those

most precious deposit), and by the direction of Samuel,
as the sole

remaining authority in Shiloh.
spot,

Soon the Philistine hosts would be on the
the sack of the town ensued.
atrocity

and

No

element of savage

would seem

to

have been wanting to the occasion.

Fired with fanatical hatred, stimulated by the possession
of the ark, the conquering horde carried fire

and sword
Shiloh
to

through

the

little

settlement,
it

and

razed

a desolation from

which

has never recovered.

Among

those

who escaped were Samuel and Ahitub,
and grandson

the latter the youthful son of Phinehas,
of Eli (1 Samuel xiv. 3).

The wreck

of all the hopes

and

associations

which clustered around the Tabernacle
to all Israel,

placed Samuel in a position of great responsibility and

power.

His word had already come

and

in the failure of the High-priestly power, whatever of

law and of guidance remained was held by him. His
first

act

would seem
It

to

have been to re-erect the
that,

Tabernacle at Gilgal.

was here

many

years

afterwards, he appointed Saul to meet him, in order to
offer

the

burnt

-

offerings

and peace

-

offerings

of his

consecration and coronation

—

sacrifices

which could only

be offered on the brasen altar before the Tabernacle.

That

this altar

was that constructed by Bezalel, and that

the tent which later stood in Gibeon was that

made

RETURNED TO GILGAL.

31

by Moses, is affirmed in the text of 2 Chron. i. 3, 6. They could not, therefore, have fallen into Philistine
hands
at Shiloh.

The

re

-

erected Tabernacle, in its old place in

the

plains of Jericho,

stood
1

there
vii.

for

many

years.

The
to

note of time in

Samuel

2 cannot be taken
Jearim, that

refer to this, as the years there

mentioned do not represent
-

the time the ark was at

Kirjath

time

including the periods of Samuel's, Saul's, and part of

David's reigns.
in which the
itself

They were rather the
national spirit

*

twenty years

was

gradually adjusting

to

the true relations which had formerly

been

established between

Jehovah and His people.

Under

the

wise

Israel
1

and gracious rule of Samuel the house of was drawn together after the Lord [margin,
vii. 2).

Samuel

Sorrow and suffering had effectually
on

done their work, and the people were now willing to
be guided into the heartfelt monotheistic worship

which their deliverance depended.

When

all

was ready,
to

and a

spirit of

humble

trustfulness

was seen
called

have

penetrated

the

assembly,

Samuel

a

national

convention at Mizpah, one of the three centres from

which he judged
is

Israel.

The Mizpah here

referred to

that mentioned in Joshua xviii. 25 as one of the cities

of Benjamin,
five miles

and

is

that

now known

as

Nehy Samwil,
their overlords

north of Jerusalem.

Here they were speedily attacked by As at Rephidim the the Philistines.
prayers of Samuel prevailed.

intercession

of

Moses gained victory over the Amalekites, so here the

A

great storm discomfited

32

THE TABERNACLE.
men from
home
of

the Philistines, and they were chased by the

Mizpah
pasture),

till

they came unto Beth
their

-

Car

(

=

where probably

base-camp
Professor

lay.

So

critical

an authority as

G. A. Smith
-

places Beth-Oar at

Ain Kdriin,
is

four miles south

west

of Jerusalem, where

a famous spring.

thus covered eight or
Philistia

nine

miles,

The pursuit and the power of

was broken.
slain,

Doubtless some thousands of the

enemy were
nothing.
significance.

but of these particulars
are that
told
is,

we

are told

What we
It
is

howev^er,

of fuller
to

the victorious

army went

the scene of their former defeat, between Beth-Shemesh

and Kirjath-Jearim, and
the ark had
selected
(1

there, on the very spot

where
they

fallen

into

the

hands of

its

foes,

a great stone, already consecrated by sacrifice

Samuel
help),

of

which they called Ebenezer (= stone and which, after the example of Jacob at
vi. 15),
oil.

Bethel, was anointed with
spirit of

This was done in the
as

humble

gratitude,

and

an acknowledgment
it

that the event there celebrated, however dark
at

seemed

the time, was in reality the

turning - point of the
'

national fortunes,

and the

*

help

that Israel needed.

Thus did they
smitten. of the change

which they had been No other action could have been so expressive
kiss the rod with

which had passed over the people in the

intervening years.

The stone so set up is described as being 'between Mizpah and Shen.' This Mizpah (= watch-tower) is that
mentioned as one of the

and

is

represented

Joshua xv. 38, by the Arab village of Deir el-Hawa,
cities of

Judah

in

DEFEAT OF THE PHILISTINES.
placed on the summit of a mountain south of the
Ismail.

33

Wady

It

is less

than four miles east of Beth-Shemesh

(here abbreviated to Shen).

Midway between
of Deir

the two

places

is

Deir Abdn, a large village, in which stands

a great rook bearing tbe
of the Rock).

name
its

Ehan (= Convent

Previous to
is

consecration as a national

memorial,

it

mentioned as the great stone in the
Beth-Shemite, beside which the ark
returned

field of Josliua the

stayed
(I

when
vi.
*

it

from

the

Philistine

cities

Samuel

14).

We

are thus

to understand the
set it
'

expression
vii.

Samuel took a stone and

(1

Samuel

12) in the sense of selection

and appropriation, and

not of actual elevation.

12. This act of public contrition was the turning-point
of tbe national fortunes.

During the

lifetime of

Samuel

the Philistines came no

more

into the border of Israel.

The ark remained at Kirjath-Jearim, of Beth-She mesb. The Tabernacle was
the ban pronounced on Eli's family.

four miles east
at Gilgal, but

without any officiating High-priest, Ahitub being under

He was
fell,^

perhaps

15 years of age at the time Shiloh

and, with his

brother Ichabod, was the sole representative of the house
of Ithamar.

Samuel did not dare

to recall to office the

famUy

of Eleazar,

not be neglected.

and yet the sanctuary of God could He himself was a Levite. In this

emergency a son of Amariah, of the rejected family of
•

The mention

of his son Ahijah, as being in the

camp

of Saul soon after

his assumption of rule, is
(1

an indication of the length

of Samuel's judgeship

Samuel

xiv. 3).

34

THE TABERNACLE.
'

Eleazar, was called upon to act, not as High-priest, but
as

Ruler of the House of God.'
Eli's grandson,

His name was Ahitub,
this

as

was that of
11.

and he appears with
ix. 11,

name and
xi.

designation in 1 Chron.

and Nehemiah

He was

the grandfather of Zadok, in whose
office.

person the family of Eleazar was restored to

How

far the Tabernacle services at Gilgal

conformed

to the ritual of the

law we

may

best judge

by concluding
were regularly

that the duties of the High-priest remained in abeyance,

but that the

levitical

and

priestly duties

performed under the direction of the ruler of the House
of God.'^

Such were the maimed

rites of

Jahvism which

followed the destruction of Shiloh.

In later times we find that Azariah V. was High-priest in the reign of Hezekiah (2 Chron. xxxi. 10), and also 'ruler of the House of God' (verse 13). As such he co-operated with Hezekiah in appointing certain men It would appear that the two to he over the storehouses of dedicated things. ofiices were distinct, but might he held by the same person. In the history of Jeremiah (xx. 1) there is mention of a certain priest named Pashhur, who was chief officer in the house of the Lord.' We have here an instance of the same or a similar office being held by a man who was neither Highpriest nor the son of a High-priest, as he belonged to the course of Immer. If the two offices were the same, this was an irregularity, owing to the
'

disorganized state of public affairs.

35

CHAPTER

II.

TO THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
nPHE
-*-

Tabernacle being re-erected at Gllgal, and the Ebenezer rock being consecrated as a memorial,
Tribes entered upon a career of peaceful

tbe Twelve

development.

Samuel was tbe one man

to

whom

the

whole nation looked.
duties in

As a Levite he had no special the House of God. The courts held at its

East Gate were principally for the settlement of cases
of ceremonial purity, and were presided over by Levites

There were, however, many other hard cases' of civil and criminal law, corresponding to those
priests.
*

and

brought before Moses by the advice of his father-in-law (Exodus xviii.). ^ These were appropriately brought
before Samuel, who, like Moses, was a Kohathite Levite.

These courts were not always held at Gilgal, but at Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, to each of which places an
annual
the
visit

was

paid.

The

selection of

two centres

for

administration of justice other than that at which

• The diflSculty as to the names in this family may be met by adopting Ewald's suggestion that Jethro ' signifies prefect, and was a title held by Keuel, who was the father of Hobab (Numbers x. 29). In this way Hobab would be the brother-in-law of Moses, as is stated in Judges iv. 11, and Jethro returned Moses the son-in-law of Jethro, as written in Exodus ui. 1 to his own land (Exodus xviii. 27), but Hobab accompanied the host (Judges iv. 11 ; 1 Sam. xv. 6). Later scholarship suggesta that both were the
'
.

Arabian names of Moses' father-in-law.

36

THE TABERNACLE.
new departure
in

the Tabernacle stood, was in itself a
the history of

Hebrew

jurisprudence, wbicb could only

have been

justified

by the revelation of tbe Urim and
Betbel was,
vision

Tbummim,
Jacob,

as declaring tbe will of God.

bowever, associated witb the

of

God given
tbe
nation.

to

and Mizpab with tbe remarkable
lately given liberty to

interposition

wbicb bad so
tbe

To

Hebrew any

spot at wbicb Jebovab
act,

bad manifested
It

Himself became, by that
places

for ever sacred.

may

thus have been thougbt tbat tbe sanctity of these two

was equal

to tbat of Gilgal,

wbere tbe Captain of
v.

tbe Lord's host bad appeared to Josbua (Joshua

13-15).

1.

As

tbe years passed, and Samuel grew feebler, be

made
viii.

bis

two sons judges over

Israel.

A

name bas
1

probably dropped out of the Hebrew text of
2,

Samuel

as it is bardly

likely tbat botb judges should

bave been stationed in far-south Beersbeba.

Josepbus'

paraphrase of the history has retained tbe second name,

which

is

Betbel {Antiquities,
tbis

vi. 3, § 2).

Wbile doing
of

Samuel took a step far in advance anything yet done in tbe way of liberalizing and
It

delocalizing tbe institutions of Mosaism.
less

was nothing
This

than tbe building of an altar at bis own borne in
felt less

Ramab, wbicb be
was tbe
less

and

less able to leave.

revolutionary as there was no ark at Gilgal

before wbicb to burn incense.

There were many Ramahs

(

= beigbts)

in tbe land.

Nearly every division of tbe tribes bad a place so named. Among these were

SAMUEL'S LAST DAYS.
(1)

37

Ranaab of Benjamin (Joshua

xviii. 25).
iv. 6).

(2) (3)
(4) (5) (6)

Eamah Eamah Ramah Ramah
(1

of

Ephraim (Judges
Asher (Joshua

of Naphtali (Joshua xix. 36).
of
xix. 29).
viii.

(or Ramoth) of Gad (2 Kings Remeth (Joshua xix. 21) or Ramoth

28-29).

of Issachar

Chron.

Yi. 73).

It would be in

the hill

harmony with these examples country of Judah there should be a
distinction

that in
spot so

named, the

between
that an

Gibeah,
isolated
-

a

hill,

and
but

Ramah, a
be
a

height,

being,

hill

might

found

on
is to

comparatively

low

lying

ground,

Ramah
In
the

be sought for only on elevated land.

115

place-names
to

given

in

the
of

Book

of

Joshua

as

belonging

the

division

Judah, the

name
where

of

Ramah
is

does not occur
for

— except

as a descriptive

or alternative
it

name

Baalath-beer (Joshua xix. 8),

distinguished from all other

Ramahs
would

as

Ramah
prevent

of

the

Negeb.
being

This,

however,
to

not
spot

the

name

given

a

suitable

which was colonised or inhabited after the conquest. Such would seem to have been the history of the Ramah in which Samuel was born, and where he died and was buried, as it probably was of some of the other

Ramahs, several

of

which are unmentioned by Joshua.

2.

Two and

a half miles north of Hebron, the road

to the north, having crossed the plain of

Mamre, climbs

38

THE TABERNACLE.
hundred
feet.

a gentle ascent of three

That gained, the
an old

traveller finds himself in the saddle of

Roman
to

road,

still

roughly paved, with a slight hilly projection
side.

on either

That

to the left is 3,340 feet

and that

the right 3,370 feet above the level of the Mediterranean.

These are the two Ramahs contained in the plural word

Ramathaim.

Robinson found the name
northern horizon
it is

Ramah
falls

still

in

use here, disguised in the Arabic er-Bdmeh.

From
away,

this point the

gradually

till

at

Jerusalem

nearly a thousand feet lower
similar decline
hill
is

(=

2,593

feet).

To the south a
the

per-

ceptible,

and with the exception of the
(3,747 feet),
altitude

on which
twin

Jutta

stands
is

of these

heights Jordan.

not attained within 100 miles west of the

Through a

cleft

in the hills the waters of the blue

Within an hour's walk of this Ramah is the ancient city where the three Patriarchs and Around these their wives, except Rachel, were buried.
Mediterranean are seen.

tombs sprang up the city of Kirjath-Arba, after
conquest called Hebron

its

(=

association).

Josephus says that

it

was the

oldest city in Palestine,

and
xiv.

it

was

visited

by the
22).

spies sent

by Moses

to inspect the

land (Numbers

xiii.

It was taken

by Joshua (Joshua
great reputation,

12 and xv. 14), and owing to

its

as the last resting-place of
special provision

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
It was

was made

for its security.
its

made

a city of refuge, and given, with
for the priests

suburbs, as a residence

and the Kohathite Levites (Joshua xxi.

10-13), being the only city thus jointly occupied.

The

SAMUEL'S ALTAE AT RAMAH.

39

suburbs, forming a circle around the city of one or two

thousand cubits
4-5),^

(= 500

to 1,000 yards),

(Numbers xxxv.
fields of

were given

to the clergy.

The

the city

and

its villages

were given to Caleb.

There can be no

doubt that

this

was done,

so

as to doubly

and trebly

secure the sepulchres of the ancestors of the race. It
is

impossible to do more than to establish in a general

way

a conaection between the Kohathite settlement in and

around Hebron, and similar settlements in the division
of Ephraim,
of which
there were

four

(Joshua

xxi.

21-22).

Of

these the principal was Shechem, described
of Ephraim,

as being in the hill country

which, like

Hebron, was one of the three
of Jordan.

cities of

refuge ou the west

3.

There were twenty generations from Jacob
vi.

to

Samuel

(1 Chron.

33-38).

Some

time during the period

of the Judges,

Zuph

or Zophai, an Ephraimite Levite of

the sons of Kohath, migrated from the northern to the

southern settlement of his clan.

He
to be

settled

on the then
as the

bare and stony highland to the north of Hebron, which

from his occupation of
of

it

came
and

known

Land

Zuph, or Ramathaim-Zophim

(=
f

double high-place

of Zuph), (1

Samuel

i.

1

ix. 5).

1

A

distinction -was

made between walled and unwalled

cities.

In the

case of the former the suburbs or pasture-fields were to be 1,000 cubits from the wall of the city round about. In the smaller and unwalled villages, the
' suburbs were to be 2,000 cubits on every side, measured from some central point in the hamlet, around which the houses were grouped. Disputes would thus be of rare occurrence. These Levitioal pasture-fields were inalienable
'

(Lev. xsv. 34).

40

THE TABEENACLE.
His descendants in the direct line are given in
1

Samuel

and

1

Chronicles in the following genealogies
1

:

Samuel
Zuph. Tohu.

i,

1.

1

Chronicles

yI. 34.

Zuph
Toah

or Zophai (v. 26). or

Nahath

(y.

26).

EHhu.
Jeroliam.

Eliel or

EUab

(v. 26).

Jeroliam.
Elka&ah..

Elkanah.
Samuel.

Samuel.

It

would thus seem that the migration took place
His childhood was spent
life

five

generations, or less than two centuries, before the birth of

Samuel.

at Shiloh,

but as the

meridian of

passed,

and

its

main

activities

were

left

behind, he retired to the city of his fathers, 'for there

was

his house.'
Israel.'

Here 'he judged
In doing
this

But he did more.
vii.

'He
17).

built there an altar unto the Lord' (1 Samuel

Samuel followed the example

of

Abraham,

and did not deem that he was contravening the law
against the building of private and unauthorized altars.

The
of the

erection of this altar, on one of the high-places
land,

did

not

involve the
it.

duplication
it

of the

Tabernacle, or any part of

What
or

did involve was

that the altar should stand within an enclosed space, to

correspond
Tabernacle.
sacrifice of

with

the

outer

eastern

court

of

the

Also that provision should be made for the
animals by duly ordained priests and Levites.

THE FUNCTIONS OF SACRIFICE.
As

41

parts of every burnt-offering were washed, and the

officiating priests required frequent ablutions, every altar

of Jabvism required an abundant supply of water.

These
the

were the prime
erection

necessities of the

case,

when once

had been decided
a civil,

on.

As the laws of Moses,
an
ecclesiastical,

administered by Samuel, comprised

and a criminal

code, and, in

many
an

cases,

required that restitution should be

made

both to the complainant and to the ordinances of religion,
altar,

where such

sacrifices

and sin-offerings could be

received,
justice.

became a necessity of every supreme court of

The
obtain

object and application of law amongst the
solely to secure that

Hebrews
every

was not

even-handed justice should
but also
that

between

man

and man,

transgressor should be purged of his sin by sacrifice and,

by penitence and
of

prayer, should obtain the Divine

forgiveness.

In the case

minor

courts,

one of which was held in

every Levitical city and town, the convicted defendants

were sent to the central sanctuary

to attain these ends.

A

general clause to cover all such cases was that of the

national sacrifices, constantly offered, and of the institution

of a great day of

Atonement

for the

whole nation.

Samuel, not unwisely, judged that by the erection of an altar, near to himself as the fountain of justice, he

would be forwarding the best of true religion amongst them.

interests of his people

and

The

existence of this altar, a few miles from Hebron,
chief

was without doubt a

cause

of David's choosing

42

THE TABERNACLE.
as

Hebron
conquest

the capital

city

of

his

kingdom,
departure

till

the

of

Jerusalem.

With

his

it

was

probably removed, the enclosure-walls remaining.

These

would remain undisturbed during the whole period of
Jewish national
life,

as having once been

employed in the

worship of Jehovah.

Their partial removal would thus

date from times subsequent to the fall of Jerusalem under
Titus.

The

tradition

of

some unusual
el-Khulil,

sanctity

still

survives amongst the peasantry of the neighbourhood,

who name
Friend,
i.e.

this

ruin

Ramet

the hill of the

Abraham.

4.

Dr.

Edward Robinson

twice visited er-Rameh, at

an interval of fourteen years.

His

first

account, written
:

in April, 1838, contains the following description
'

At one hour from Hebron,

a blind path

went
it,

off

to the

right, at right angles, leading to

Tekoa

;

and on

almost five

minutea walk from our road, are the foundations of an immense
building,

which

excited

our

curiosity.

We

found

the

would seem to have been commenced, but never completed. They consist of two walls, apparently of a large enclosure, one facing toward the southwest, two hundred feet long; and the other, at right angles, facing north-west, one hundred and sixty feet long, with a space left in the middle of it, as if for a portal. There are only two courses of hewn stones above ground, each 3 feet 4 inches high; one of the stones measured 15^ feet long by In the south-west angle is a well or cistern 3 feet thick. arched over, but not deep. There are no stones or ruins of any kind lying around, to mark that the walls were ever carried higher The spot is called by the Arabs Rdmet
substructions of an edifice, which

el-KMlU

'

{Biblical Researches, vol.

i.

p. 215).

BAMET
approacliing
it

BL-KRULIL.

43

In May, 1852, Dr. Robinson again
from the north, and wrote

visited tlie spot,
as follows
left at
:

'Rising gradually,
angle
;

we

turned at 4.15 to the

a right

and came, in seven minutes, across the fields, to the immense foundations we had formerly visited. Those inexplicable walls remain as when we saw them in 1838, except that the covering to the well was gone. This well is of large circumference, and about 10 feet deep to the surface
.

.

.

of the water.

It

is

said to be strictly a fountain.

The

course

of the longest wall is south, 80° east.

'The foundations are regarded by the common people as belonging to the ruins of er-Rdmeh, which cover the hill to the north, and extend down to this spot. We now turned up the hill er-Rdmeh, and reached the top in six minutes. Here and on the slope are the remains of a large village. The ground all the way is strewn with ruins of dwellings covering some acres, with hewn stones among them. There is on the top a cistern excavated in the rock. In respect to the immense walls, which form the most imposing feature of the place, I find as yet no satisfactory
'
'

explanation.

They exhibit none of the tokens of ecclesiastical architecture, and do not of themselves suggest a church. "We left er-Rdmeh at 4.45, descending the hill toward the At the foot was an excavated cistern, now dry, with north.
'
. . .

'

steps to descend into

it

'

{Biblical Researches, vol.

iii.

pp. 278-281).

In furtherance of the suggestion that we have in
these walls, lying below the ancient town, the remains

of an enclosure built by Samuel around an altar, I

may
the

remark
(a)

:

The measurements coincide with The stones of the walls ancient cubit.
40 inches in thickness, or Z\
feet.

those
are

of

given as
three

This was

44

THE TABERNACLE.
1 1 feefc

building cubits of

= 3|-

feet.

The

walls were thus

six cubits high, the curtains of the tabernacle enclosure

being
(b)

five.

The two remaining

walls are in length 160

and

200

feet respectively.^

These are outside measurements.

Hebrew

surface measures are uniformly interior measures,

taken with the large cubit.

We

may

tlius

conclude

that, as at Sinai, the space enclosed for the

worship of
This would

the people around the altar was a square.

be a square of 100 cubits
a square of 60 cubits.

(

= 150 feet),

whereas that was

The precedent would doubtless be followed of a portion
of the altar-platform being placed to
altar,

the west of the

adjoining which was a laver witb water.

To

these

purposes 30 cubits
allocated,

(=45

feet)

would seem

to

have been

though

it

may have been

one-third the length
feet).

of the eastern court, or SSg cubits
(c)

(=50
is

The enclosed spring and
the south-west angle.

cistern within the enclosure

lie in

This

in the true position

for sacrificial purposes, as, in the

Temples of the Jews,

the water supply was always placed on the western side

near the north gate.
(d)

The corrected course taken by the longer wall
east.

is

within four degrees of due

As, however, the sun

apparently rose southward in the latitude of Eamah, and no
scientific

instruments were in use, the error in orientation
arise.

would thus

' According to Sir Charles Warren, 200 by 165 feet. If the thickness of the walls be added, the measurements -will be 218f x 164f feet.

THE RAMJET ENCLOSUEE.
The

45

walls were so built as that worshippers standing

within them should haye their backs to the rising sun.

This was essential.

The oblong rectangle rightly
in the west wall

lies

from east
(e)

to west.

The opening
is

which

doubtful

— had

—
is

if

there were one,
it

nothing corresponding witb
This

in the tabernacle enclosure.

accounted for by

the fact that there was no second court to the west at

Eamah,

as at Shiloh,

and that

this

opening would be for

the sole use of the oflSciating priests and Levites from the neighbouring city of Hebron.

(/) The

hewn
G-.

stones found in the Tillage higher
oflf

up

the hill were possibly carried

from the two walls,

thougb Mr.

A. Murray, of Hebron, suggests that the

removed stones may have been taken to form the first This use enclosure built around the Cave of Machpelah.
of

them would not have been deemed a

desecration.

The

foundations of these walls,

when

found, will probably
side,

show a large gate opening on the east

and another

on the north, opposite to the line of the altar. {g) The Haram walls of Jerusalem and Hebron are
largely Phoenician in
walls
at

character.

er-Rameh

resemble

The them in

fact

that

the
of

character

masonry is in favour of their being early Israelitish work. The fact that there are no hewn stones or ruins of any kind to show that the walls were ever carried
higher
is

a point of cardinal importance, as fixing the

use for which they were built.

That
the

use, it is suggested,

was to screen an
hangings of

altar

within

enclosure,

as

the
altar

the tabernacle courts

screened

its

46

THE TABERNACLE.
eyes.

from curious and irreverent by Samuel.

If this

was their

purpose, that altar could only have been the one built

5.

Happily we are in a position

to test the

foregoing

suggestion that the ruins of er-B&meh are those of the
ancient

Ramah
x. of 1

of Samuel,

by an appeal

to

contemporary

evidence of unimpeachable authority.
ix.

We have in chapters
Eamathaim,
These we
site.

and

Samuel an account

of a visit to
details.

which contains many topographical

may compare with
The
the two, but there

Dr. Robinson's description of the

following are the principal coincidences between

may be
site

others which a
afford.

more complete
or the

examination of the
{a)

would

On

the fourth day
it,

after leaving Gibeon,

estate at

Zelah near to

Saul and his servant approached

Ramah

before the hour of the evening meal.

They were
it

'in the land of Zuph,' and, as an afterthought,

was

determined to consult the
the
hill

seer,

Samuel.

on the north side of the city they met

As they ascended women
cistern,'

going to draw water from the 'excavated
Dr. Robinson noticed at the foot of the
(6)

which
not

hill.
hill,

Leaving them, the two men ascended the

by the

way

of the

Roman
the

road, but

by

a path

which led

directly to the crest of the hill before them.

Here

lay
to

a large village,

all

the stone-enclosure
dwellings.

way from the crest of the hill being now strewn with ruins

of

The

travellers,

the city,

having crossed the peak and come within met Samuel on his way to the high-place.

SAUL'S VISIT TO SAMUEL.
(c)

47

It

was

'

in the gate/

^

i.e.

the gate leading to the

high-place south of the city, that Saul addressed Samuel.

The

result

was that together they went

to

the guestsacrifices

chamher which lay within the enclosure
of peace being usually eaten in
sanctuary.^
{d)

—Jewish

the precincts of the

The
in

feast over, Saul

accompanied Samuel
'

to

his

home

Ramah

—

the expression

came down

'

(verse 25)

having reference rather to the dignity of the high-place
than to the comparative altitudes of the city and the
(e)

altar.

went

The next morning^ Samuel, accompanied by out, going down to the end of the city.'
*

Saul,

We

gather from

this,

as

from the
place
of

first

meeting of Samuel

and Saul, that
city
it

the

house of the former was in the
the
altar.

and

above

the

From

this

would

appear

that

Saul

was

privately

anointed,

as

was

fitting, in

the neighbourhood of the altar, and

did not leave the city by the
It will be

way he had

entered

it.

remembered that Dr. Robinson walked from
*

the main road to the

immense foundations

'

in seven

minutes, and from them to the top of the hill in six
minutes.

As

the position of Samuel's

home

is

unknown.

* This doea not necessarily mean that the city was surrounded by walla. Hebron atill has gates at the ends of its streets, but has no surrounding wall. ' The word used for guest-chamber also occurs, as descriptive of a part
'

'

of the Temple, in Jer. xxxv. 2, 4, and Ezek. xl. 17.

passages a sacrificial dining-room

is

meant.

In these and other Such rooms were required by the
of every temple.

ordinance of Lev.
'

vi. 16,

26,

and were bmlt as a part

Samuel is said to have summoned his guest ' about the spring of the day.' As the morning sacrifice was always killed before sunrise, and Samuel would
attend this, the probability
is

in favour of their having gone together to

the altar.

48

THE TABERNACLE.
tlie

the time generally taken to cover
early
is

distance of this
It

walk was probably
stated

less

than fifteen minutes.

not

that

Samuel

accompanied Saul

to
so,

the
as

junction of the roads, though he probably did a token of respect to his future sovereiga.
(/)

Other confirmations of the identity of er-R&meh

with Samuel's

Ramah

are to be found in the fact of

David's having fled from the court of Saul to Samuel
(1

Samuel

xix. 18).

As

the

Ramahs
to

of

Benjamin and
it is

Ephraim were

situated

close

Gibeon,

unlikely

that David would find any safety in places so few miles

away from
There
is

his

enemy, or that he should expect

it.

positive

evidence to the contrary in the fact

that Saul himself went toward

Ramah, and

at the great

well that

is

in

Secu made inquiries for Samuel and Naioth
it is

David, having previously been told that they were living
at

Naioth in Ramah.
xxiii. 2,

is

the
'

word used
pastures.'

in
is

Psalm
name.

where
been

translated

It

here, probably,

a descriptive noun,
so,

and not a proper
at Secu,

Had

it

Saul,

when
'

would not

have needed to inquire where the
were.

pastures of

Ramah

He
this
is

did

so,

and went

to Naioth, or the pastures,

with the result

that, while

he prophesied, David escaped.
great well of

In
Secu

case

the whereabouts of the

a prime factor, in deciding

which of the many
of Hebron,

Ramahs is meant as that of Samuel's home. The plain of Mamre, to the immediate north
is

drained by the brook Eshcol, running to the south-

west.
fed

Between two arms
a spring within.

of the brook

is is

a famous well,

by

The former

known

as the

SAUL'S

RETURN TO GIBEON.
iii.

49
as

Sirah Well (2 Samuel

26),
vale,

and the
with
its

latter

Ain

SUr&h.

In

this pleasant

orchards and

vineyards,
rested, as

we have the well Secu, beside which Saul Abner afterwards did. It is not more than

three or four miles either from er-R&meh or from Hebron.
It is possibly one of the springs of Caleb (Joshua xv. 19).

6-

The

narrative before us yields, not only these rich

fruits of topographical interest, but others equally

welcome

in the department of geography.
(a)

In the opinion of the

late
its

Dean Stanley the
allied questions is

situation of Samuel's
'

Ramah and
and

the most complicated

difficult

problem of sacred
it is so

topography.'

It will have

become evident that

solely in the refusal to accept as

Ramah Mr.
is

Walcott's

and Mr. Van de Velde's Bdmet,

a little north of Hebron.

When

further scriptural evidence
is

adduced

it

will be

found that there
localities.

in this no variance with the existing

Speaking

to Saul in the gate of his city,

Samuel

told

him

that he would find two

men

by Rachel's sepulchre
site of this

in the border of Benjamin.

The

tomb

is

undisputed.

It

stands beside the road about one mile

north of Bethlehem.^

The boundary between Benjamin
territory of the

and Judah thus ran between the two, the
*

Bethlehem was a

city in the division of
it is

Judah.

The name
Its

first
'

occurs
'

in Judges xvii. 7, where

termed Bethlehem-Judah.
first

father

or

founder was Salma, a son of Nahshon,
(1

prince of the tribe of Judah

Chron.

ii,

51).
it

It

was thus occupied immediately on Joshua's conquest of
cities of

the land, though
the land.

does not find a place in Joshua's record of the

50

THE TABERNACLE.

former being extended, in a wedge-shape, just far enough,
to include the

tomb of their great ancestress. It is, if possible, a still more inevitable deduction that the 'land of Zuph' (1 Samuel ix. 5) lay to the south of Bethlehemin-Judah. As Saul was a Benjamite, the speech of the
two men he was
of the
to

meet

at Zelzah
'little

was

to be

an indication
ruler.'

coming supremacy of

Benjamin, their

That Rachel's tomb remained a well-known spot
centuries after this,

for

we know

from the prophetic utterance

of Jeremiah (xxxi. 15), the

Ramah mentioned by him
xl. 1.

here not being the same as that of chapter

The

first

Evangelist,

Matthew, though
of both with
cites

a

Galilean,

could have had no misgivings as to the contiguity of
Rachel's tomb with

Ramah, and
it

Bethlehem
verse
'

(which lay between them), as he

the

of

Jeremiah and connects

with Bethlehem and

all

the

borders thereof,' er-R&meh being twelve miles off (Matthew
ii.

16-18).

At

this time the

of stones with a

tomb was only a pyramid cave beneath, which was its appearance

80 late as the seventh century a.d.
{b)

As

Saul went northward to Gibeon from Rachel's

tomb, he would pass to the west of Jebus, even then
called Jerusalem,*

and was told by Samuel that when

he came
happen.

apply
(at

to

the Gibeah-of-God a certain thing would In Samuel's mouth this name could hardly any other place than Mizpah (= Neby Samwil),
to
it

the foot of which his most direct path lay), as
so lately

was there that God had

come

to the help of his

people against the Philistine army.
1

Its connection
tablets.

with

As shown by the

Tel

el-Amarna

TABEENACLE REMOVED TO NOB.
the subject of this chapter
lies

51
it

in the fact that

had

become a bamah or high-place, and that a procession of
musicians coming from there was joined by Saul, who,

meeting them at the
away.

'

Ir

'

enclosure, accompanied

them

to another high-place, probably that at Gibeon, I5 miles

These Israelitish high-places

were

a

copy of

heathenism, being based upon the

material idea that

worshippers standing on them were nearer to the seat
of the

God

or gods than
it

when on lower ground.
sites

In

contrast with this

may

be noticed that the

chosen
Gilgal

for the Tabernacle were never those of hill-tops.

was on a

plain, Shiloh

on a gently-rising
hills

slope,

and

even Moriah was surrounded by

higher than

itself.

Ramah, as we have seen, lay below the town in which Samuel lived, and Gibeon may have been on a plain. In the identification of er-Rdmeh of Judah with the Bamah of Samuel, we also recover the Arimathea of
' '

Joseph, the Sanhedrist,

who begged
51)
at

the body of Jesus
still
*

and

laid it in his

own tomb.
xxxii.
is

Arimathea was
the

a city
the

of the

Jews' (Luke
It

time

of

Crucifixion.

now

quite deserted.

7.

The

altar at

Ramah was
held

in use

when Saul was
as

privately

informed of his

coming
shortly

election

King.

A

national assembly
of

afterwards, for the

selection

a

king,

showed

that

Mizpah

(

= Nehy

Samwil)

was the central meeting-place of the Tribes;
in

while Samuel's instruction to Saul to spend seven days
at Gilgal

preparation for the public recognition of

him

as

God's vicegerent, showed that the Tabernacle

52

THE TABERNACLE.
stood
ttere.

now
ment

A

great
less

change
than the

was,
final

however,

imminent.

This was no

abandonIt

of Gil gal as the site of the Tabernacle.

were

vain to attempt any categorical reason

for this action.

Not unlikely

it

was done at Saul's instigation, and as
Saul's attitude toward the priesthood
hostility

a step toward the attainment of a purpose which he,
later, carried out.

was uniformly one of

and even contempt.

He
own

had usurped the
consecration
(1

priest's office at the service of his

Samuel

xiii.

9).

He

had,

as

a con-

sequence, alienated from himself the friendship of Samuel,

whose

life

he threatened

(1

Samuel

xvi. 2).

More was

to

follow.

The
with

result,

however, was that, after the final breach
(1

Samuel
in

Samuel

xv.),

Tabernacle as being at Nob.
case

we next hear of As is so frequently
days,

the
the

the records of

those

deeds
writers

that

were

revolting- to

the conscience

of the

are passed
Qilgal,

over without mention.

Doubtless

Saul found

in the eastern limit of the land, inconvenient as a place
of rendezvous for the militia of the people,
to the military operations in

and injurious
was

which he was constantly
as
is

engaged

(1

Samuel

xiv.

47), It

his

attendance

sometimes requisite there.

not until the breach

with Samuel had been
that

followed by that with David,
(son
of

we

find the

High-priest Ahimelech

the

Ahitub who, forty years before this, had been rescued from the burning of Shiloh) officiating at Nob. He
seems to have been a
character or pride of

man
office,

without any real dignity of
just

such a one as would

IDENTIFICATION OF FOB.
surrender everything to the hectoring of Saul, of

63

whom

he lived

in

craven

fear.

He

probably removed the

Tabernacle to Nob.

8.

Four miles
is

to the north of Jerusalem,

and at the

distance of a quarter of a mile to the east of the
road,

main
hill,

a curiously

knobbed

and

double-topped

named by the Arabs
of this
hill
is

Tell (or Tuleil) el-Ful.

The crown
its

30 feet higher than Mount Zion, and
it.

Jerusalem can be plainly seen from
a
large

On

top

is

pyramidal

mound
have
feet,

of

unhewn
to

stones,

which
square

Robinson supposes to
tower of 40 or 50

been

originally a

and

have been violently
are to be
seen.

thrown down.

No

other

foundations

At

the foot of the hill are ancient substructions, built

of large
are on
If
its

unhewn

stones in

low massive walls.

These

south side, and adjoin the great road.
the scriptural indications as to the site of

we take

Nob (=
(a)

height), this hill

and these ruins

fulfil

all

the

conditions of the case.

Nob was
its

so far regarded as belonging to Jerusalem,
villages

as

one of

(thus

involving

its

proximity),

that David's bringing Goliath's head and sword to the

Tabernacle at

Nob was regarded
xvii. 54).

as bringing

them

to

Jerusalem
(6)

(1

Samuel

A clearer

indication as to its situation

is,

however,

gained by the
villages in

record

of
is

the

restoration

towns

and

which Nob

mentioned, the name occurring

between those of Anathoth
xi.

and
still

Ananiah
bear

(Nehemiah
the

32).

These

two places

practically

54

THE TABERNACLE.
sites

same names, and their
of Tell el-Ful,
(c)

are

well known.

In the
hill

narrow space between Anata and Hanina stands the

which we take
is

to

be the ancient Nob.

Another indication

contained in Isaiah's account

of Sennacherib's

march on Jerusalem, the picturesque
is,
'

climax of which

This very day shall he halt at

Nob

;

he shaketh his hand at the mount of the daughter

of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem' (Isaiah x. 28-32).

There

are only two hills on the north from which the city can

be seen, so as
of these
is

to give reality to the poet's words.

One
Like

Nehy SamwU, the other
after

Tell el-Ful.

Pompey
any of

in

centuries,

the Assyrians

approached

Jerusalem from the valley of the Jordan, and not by
its

great roads.
list

The evidences of

this

are

to

be found in the

of places given in the preceding

context of the verse in which

Nob
:

is

mentioned.

These,

with their modern equivalents, are
(1) Aith,
.
.

.

now Khdn Haiyan,
Ai),

I mile south-

east

of et

Tell

(=
. .

which

is

one mile north of

Michmash.
(2)

Migron,

.

(

=

precipice),

now Makhrun,

a

little east

of Bethel.
. .

(3)

Michmash,
Pass
(1
.

.

modern

village of MUkhrnds,

north of the Eastern Gibeah (Jeba).

The Michmash'
(4)
'

'

.

.

.

Compare

'

the

pass

of

Sam.
.

xiii.

23).

(5) Geba, (= Jeba), 2 or 3 miles south of Michmash, with the Suweinit gorge between.
.

Ramah, ... (= west of Geba (= Jeba).
(6)

er Earn),

between 2 and 3 miles

SENNACHERIB ON NOB.
(7)

55

Gibeah of Saul,

.

.

.

= Gibeon,

3 miles to tbe west of
(8) Gallim, (1
.
.

.

Ramab of (= heaps),
a ruin

now el- Jib, Benjamin (= er Rdm).
birthplace of Pbalti

Sam. XV. 44), unknown.
(9) Laishah,

...
.
.

named Adasa,
of An&ta,

east of

Gibeon.
(10)

Anathotb,

.

village

5 miles

north-east of Jerusalem.
(11)

Madmenah,
Gebim,

.

.

.

(=

dung-heap), unknown,

possibly a suburb of Jerusalem.
(12)
.

.

.

(

= the

trenches),

unknown,

possibly defensive works on the north side of Jerusalem.

The outstanding military facts of the five verses in which these names occur are that Sennacherib had laid up his baggage at Michmash, the pass being impossible for vehicles, and had moved on to Nob with a part of his army (the main body being at Geba), from the top of
which he was
Jerusalem.
'

on that very day

'

to shake his fist at

Mizpah
{d)

is

not mentioned.

It lay off the line of march,

and may have had no

settled population.

An

examination of the three books of the Bible in
is

which Nob
in

mentioned leaves us no ground
If

for seeing it

Neby 8amwil.

Mizpah be

in this
is

way

excluded,

the only other claimant to the position

Tell el-Ful.

David was 30 years
'

of age at the time of Saul's death.'

Saul was an old

man

at the time of his death.

Two
(2

lines of
(1
ii.

argument
ix.

lead to this conclusion.
39),

One, that his fourth son, Ish-bosheth
set

Chron.
10).

was 40 years old when he was

upon the throne

Sam.

The

56

THE TABERNACLE.
was thus
still

He

a young

man when he

called at

Nob

and obtained Goliath's sword.

Shortly afterwards, during

the lifetime of Saul, the Tabernacle was removed to Gibeon.

During the few years

in

which

it

stood at

Nob

it

would

hardly be likely to have been placed on the top of the
hill.

We have seen
new

that such situations were alien to the
Its place

spirit of the

faith.
hill,

must thus be sought
stone,

at

the foot of the

where are the low massive walls
remarked by
as

and ancient substructions of unhewn
Robinson.

No

dimensions of these walls are available.
thickness,

Their

height,

and

length
size

remain
their

yet

unrecorded, together with the
areas and aspect.

of

enclosed

With

the key of the cubit in our

hand we may be able to decide as to their probable origin and history, so soon as the required data are before Then may be expected to close another chapter in us.
the elucidation of the memorable sites of the Holy Land.

9.

The episode

of the High-priest Ahimelech's giving

Goliath's sword to David at

Nob

is

one that was pregnant
it.

with consequences to

all

the parties concerned in

It

other, that

by the true interpretation of

1

as king took place one year after his anointing

king de jure.
in

Two

years after his election

Sam. xiii. Saul's popular election by Samuel, when he became war with the Philistines broke out,

which Jonathan greatly distinguished himself. He could not haye been less than 18 years of age at this time, his father, Saul, being possibly 20 years older. This was in the fourth year of his reign, when he was about
38 years of age.
short.

The length of his The reading in the margin of

reign
1

is

nowhere given, but
2
is

it

was not
'

Sam.

ix.
is

therefore to be preferred,
'

in which Saul, at the time of his election, than as 'young.'

spoken of aa

choice

rather

THE TABERNACLE AT GIBEON.

57

gave to the tyrant Saul the opportunity of carrying out
a half-fulfilled purpose which he must, for a long time,

have secretly cherished.

To

learn

what that purpose
at

was we must, for a moment, look which the family of Saul stood to
Gibeah-of-Saul, more

the relations in

their ancestral city,
as Gibeon.

commonly known

We

have, in the

first

book of Chronicles, genealogies,

rewritten after the return from the Captivity, in which

the descent of the two houses of Saul and David are

minutely traced.
Six verses of chapter
viii.

(vv.

33-38) trace the family

history from Ner, the father of Kish, and grandfather
of Saul, to those descendants of the ex-royal family

who

returned from the Babylonish captivity.
are repeated in

These particulars
In

chapter

ix.

(vv.

39 — 44), and are an

illustration of the composite character of the book.

each of these texts are verses preceding them, practically
identic,

in

which the family history

is

given as far

back as the records went.
another as to
tell

They
the
*

so far supplement one

us that a certain Jeiel, whose wife's
father
'

name was Maachah, was
joint

of Gibeon,

This

genealogy furnishes a line of

fifteen generations,

and dates from some period anterior to the elevation
of Saul.

What
Western

is

meant by the

•'

father

'

of a city

is

a position

which cannot be reproduced
social life.

—hardly understood—in
out of which the

our

The

soil

office

grew was the patriarchal one, by which the family, the sept, and the clan were governed by its eldest and most
honoured member.

When

the change from a pastoral

68
life

THE TABERNACLE.
into that of an agricultural one

was complete, and
cities,
'

communities were formed in villages, towns, and
the same social instincts prevailed, and the
*

father

of

the

little

group of households became an hereditary

ofl&ce,

transmitted from father to son.^
tlie

Thus the

oflS.ce

of 'father,' in

once Gibeonite town of Gibeah, was

retained in the family of Matri, and descended to Saul.

The family
of
(2

inheritance was

at

Zela,

in

the

county

Benjamin,

where

also

was
is

the

family

sepulchre
xviii.

Samuel

xxi. 14).

Zela

mentioned in Joshua

28, next to

Eleph (=
this local
all

Lifta),
it

and was probably not far
has been found.
in the family,

from Gibeon, but no trace of
Holding
honour

and elected

King over

Israel,

Saul determined to

make Gibeon

the seat of government for the country and the spiritual
capital of the

new kingdom.

To

this

end tbe transfer

of the Tabernacle from Gilgal was one step. of Samuel's altar at a large

The
it

erection

Ramah was

another, as

withdrew
of

amount of influence from the recognised place

of sacrifice for the twelve tribes.

The death
1),

Samuel

about this time

(1

Samuel xxv.

and the incident of

the sword of Goliath, gave Saul the opportunity he

bad

long waited

for.

Sending

for

Ahimelech, the High-priest,

and

all

the priests that were in Nob, to some height

adjoining Gibeon, he had them foully murdered before
his eyes.
'

He

did not fear to

lift

up

his

hand upon the

The

title,

to those fathers

however, would seem to have been retained in the records only who were the first of their line, or the founders of cities.

In such

cases as those of 1 Chron. ii. 42-62 and iv. 4-5, in which Canaanite towns are mentioned, the father of each is to be understood of its
' '

first ruler or patriarch.

MASSACRE OF THE GIBEONITES.
Lord's anointed.

59

This was but a part of his crime.

He

sent his executioners to Nob, and there destroyed all the

dedicated servants of the Tabernacle, Abiathar alone, as

a

priest,

being allowed to escape.

At

the

same time he began a war of general ex-

termination against the Gibeonite hewers of wood and

drawers of water for the Tabernacle.

We catch
iv. 3).

a glimpse

of this act of uncalled-for ferocity in the statement that

the Beerothites fled to Gittaim (2 Samuel

Beeroth

was

one of the four Hivite cities that drew Joshua into
all

a treaty of peace, and by the destruction of

their

heathen inhabitants Saul hoped to purge Gibeon and
the land of
its

foreign element, and to secure around

the Tabernacle,
of Israel (2
series

when

re-erected, only

Samuel

xxi, 2, 5).

men of the We know how

race
this

of

monstrous crimes was expiated in the reign

of David,

by the death of seven of Saul's descendants, who were hanged in Gibeah-of-Saul, i.e. Gibeon. Before that day came, however, the Tabernacle was removed to Gibeon, and the policy of blood and sacrilege
seemed
to prosper.

10. In the original grant of fourteen cities to the tribe
of Benjamin, three had different forms of the

same name
cities.

(Joshua

xviii.

21-28), two of which were priestly

These are given as Geba, Gibeon, and Gibeath, but their sites have been recovered, and they may be distinguished
as Jibia, the place of the northern Gibeah
site of
;

Jeba, the

the eastern Gibeah

;

and

el- Jib,

the village of the

southern Gibeah, or Gibeon.

60

THE TABERNACLE.
The former
city of the Hivites

was not only the largest
'

more prominent part in the history of the country thaa either Gibeah of Benjamin
of the three, but played a

(=

Jeba) or the Gibeah lying in the north angle of the

territory of Benjamin, a

few miles south of Shiloh,^ now
to the confusion
is

known

as Jlbia.

In addition

caused by
often used

this similarity of

names, the word Gibeah

in the English Bible (both versions) as

an
is

appellative, said to

and not as a proper name,
lived in the

e.g.,

Abinadab

have

Gibeah of Kirjath-Jearim (2 Samuel

vi. 3),

and Saul
tree in

is

described as sitting in Gibeah, under the
(1

Ramah
is

Samuel

xxii. 6).

The

identity of the village
practically
ii.

of el-Jih

with the
'

site

of Gibeon

beyond dispute.
11) are

The pool

of

Gibeon'

(2

Samuel
'

13)

and 'the great waters that
xli.
still

are in Gibeon

(Jeremiah

represented

by a large stone tank or reservoir, 100 x 120 feet, by a spring which rises in a cave higher up. A secret way led down from the town to the spring,
supplied
as at Jerusalem.

The

village

stands

on the more northerly of two

mamelons (2,572
from Bethel.

feet) six miles

from Jerusalem and seven

Its strategic value

was

great, as it lay

on

the watershed of the central plateau, across which, passing
its

northern

foot,

ran the road which connects the pass

of Bethhoron on the west with that of
east.

Michmash on the
The northern end
of

El- Jib

is

built

upon an

isolated oblong hill standing

in a plain or basin of great fertility.
'

extended

Hence we read that in the reign of Josiah the kingdom from Geha to Beersheba (2 Kings xxiii. 8).
' '

Judah

GIBEON AS A CAPITAL.
of tte hill
fallen
is

61

covered with old massive niins, which have

down

in every direction,

and in which the villagers
is

now

live.

Across the plain to the south

the lofty

ridge of

Nehy SamwU.
in

Gibeon was one of four towns

the

division

of

Benjamin given
(Joshua xxi. 17).
priests,

as

residences for
It

the sons of Aaron

was thus already inhabited by
to its other advantages,

and

this,

added

made

it,

humanly speaking, a not unsuitable place of the new kingdom. Its situation is
central

for the capital certainly
soil

more

than that of Jerusalem, and

the

of the

adjoining territory more fertile than the rocky slopes of
Olivet and Moriah or the valleys that
lie

around them.

In the

total

destruction

of the

hamlet at

Nob

the

Tabernacle was reserved.
to the plans of the

Its preservation

was necessary
with

King.

It is in entire consonance

the habits and traditions

of

Hebrew

historiographers

that an act so founded in self-will and ambition as the
transfer of the altar and tabernacle to Gibeon, with
all its

brutal accompaniments, should be unrecorded by them.

Not

in

any way

to refer to

it

or to notice

its

existence,

was at once the most

dignified censure of Saul,

and the

most complete repudiation of his action.^
to be the case throughout the long

Such we find

and devout reign of

David.

we

find

Not until his death and Solomon's accession do any specific reference to the erection of the

> The verdict of history was spoken by the prophet Hosea, who wrote He traces the moral corruption of years before the fall of Samaria. few a They have deeply corrupted the northern kingdom to its source at Gibeon Israel, thou hast sinned from themselves as in the days of Gibeah the days of Gibeah. There have they continued (Hosea ix, 9 and x. 9).
:

'

....

'

62

THE TABERNACLE.
And
the record
feel it to
is

Tabernacle at Gibeon.

tben so

full

and minute that we at once
of a long and

be tbe breaking

premeditated silence (1

Kings

iii.

4).

A

single line in the history of David's officers of state

records tbat Zadok, of the senior line of Eleazar,

bad been

placed in charge of the Tabernacle at Gibeon, doubtless

by

Saul,

and

this entry

shows that David did not kindle
witb whicb he did not

the flames of religious strife by repudiating Saul's action,

but recognised

it

as a tbing done,

wisb

to interfere (2

Samuel xx. 25).

No

remains of buildings at el-Jib have been discovered,

such as those at er-R&meh and Tell el-Ful, wbicb
attributed to the Tabernacle as
its

may be

outer walls.

A
is

suggestion

may

be hazarded that the Tabernacle
el-Jib,

stood on the west side of

where, in the plain,

a large neglected well, at a distance of about a mile
city.

from the

It is called Bir el-Ozeiz,
filled

and

is

19 feet^

in diameter

and nearly

up with
is

earth, being only

8 feet to the water, which also
Biblical Researches, vol.
i.

very scanty (Robinson's
vol.
ii.

p.

455;

p.

256).

So large a work as the digging of this well would not
have been undertaken without some adequate motive.
It
is

not used for purposes of agriculture,

and may

possibly have once supplied an adjoining tabernacle with

water.
1 This nmst be a printer's error for 9 feet. I judge the well to have about the same diameter as the well at Mmet. It has lately been cleaned out and the upper wall rebuilt, so that no stress can be laid upon any diameter that is

not taken below the level of the wai«r.
overflowing, and no agricultural use

In February, 1904, the well was was being made of the water, which was

running to waste.

TABERI^ACLE SITE AT
But

GIBEOI^r.
it

63

further investigation is necessary, though
tlie

may
'

be remarked that

situation

is

suitable to the description

that the Gibeonites hanged Saul's seven descendants

in
if

the mountain before the

Lord

'

*

(2

Samuel xxi.

9)

;

by this we are to understand the southern Mamelon, on which there are no ruins, and which is to the east of
the well.

11. If,

however, David never worshipped in person at
standing of Zadok as one of two

the Tabernacle of Gibeon, and did no more than ofiEcially
recognise the high

officiating High-priests,^
difficult

we

are not to suppose that the

ecclesiastical questions of the

hour did not

re-

ceive consideration

from him, and some kind of

solution.

Whatever the treatment he adopted, we may be sure that it was at once tender and cautious, and in contrast to the high-handed action of Saul, the apostate King of Israel. That it was not sufficiently reverential we shall see.

1 The mention of Geba (Gibeon) in 1 Chron. viii. 6 is suggestive, the more so as the Chaldee Targum adds to Manahath the words In the land of Edom.' Considering how hostile were the relations of Benjamin and Judah after the death of Saul (2 Samuel iii. 1), and the fact that at David's election as king over all the tribes the greater part of the tribe of Benjamin kept their
'

allegiance to the house of Saul (I Chron.

xii.

29),

it

is

not improbable that

the migration

('

captivity

')

of a

number

of malcontent Benjamites, under the

guidance of Naaman, Ahijab, and Gera, heads of fathers' houses in Gibeon, to Mahanath ( = resting-place) in Edom, took place at this time.

At the
1 Chron.
*

restoration the return of
viii.

some of

their descendants is

noted in

8-12.

The

resolution to build at Jerusalem a

new

tent and Tabernacle for the

Ark, rather than to replace it in its old shrine at Gibeon, is the clearest possible proof of the adoption of this line of conduct.

64

THE TABERNACLE.
On
David's election as

King over

all

the Tribes, and

his capture of the fortress of Jehus

—the
With

Uru-salim of

the

Amarna

tablets,

—

one of his

first civic activities

was

the building of a palace for himself.
simplicity of language this
is

characteristic
'

always called

a house,'

though
fitted

built

with cedar-wood

by Phoenician masons and (2 Sam. v. 11, and

carpenters, and
1 Chron. xv. 1).

Questions of the situation of this house, and even of the
locality of the city of David,

belong to the topography of

Jerusalem, and will be treated under that head.

In the

meantime
at,

it

is

enough

to state the conclusions arrived

which are that the Ophel

(=

swelling) spur is

what

should be

known
its

as the city of David,

and that David's

house stood on
wall of the

highest point, and just below the south
area.

Haram

It

was reached by a gate and
at the south-west

narrow

street,

running east and west, from the place of
stood

the Horse Gate, which
of Mount Moriah.

corner

The elevated

situation

of

David's

palace

is

implied both in the Bathsheba incident, and in

the view of the procession of the ark Michal had from

one of

its

windows.
possibly
adjoining, the

Near

to,

King's house, and
i.e.

farther to the west,
for the ark of God,
at Gibeon,

was a place
and a
the

'

prepared,'

levelled,

tent, in exact imitation of that
it (1

was pitched upon
site of

Chron. xv.

1).

That the

new Tabernacle

adjoined that of

the palace to which Solomon brought his Egyptian wife,

we

see in the curious reason given

by him

for

removing
'

her to the porch built for her on Mount Moriah.
wife,' said he,
'

My

shall not dwell in the house of David,

A SECOND TABERNACLE.
ark of the

65

E!ing of Israel, because the places are holy whereunto the

Lord hath come

'

(2

Chron.

viii. 11).

It is probable that
size,

David's house was not of large

and that the tent of the Tabernacle stood in a very

limited,

though enclosed, area
of 1

(1
iii.

Kings
4,

viii. 1).
'

The language

Kings
is

that

at

Gibeon was
of un-

the great high place,'

not only singular in appropriating

to the Tabernacle a description

commonly used
it

authorized places of

sacrifice,

but

also involves the idea

of there having been another sanctioned high-place of
inferior

age and fewer associations.

That when the golden
Chron. xvi.

ark of the Covenant arrived at Jerusalem they offered burntofferings

and peace-offerings before God

(1

1),

leaves no

in Jerusalem
offerings

room for doubt as to whether David's tabernacle was furnished with an altar or not. These
could have been

made only

at

a

properly;

equipped tabernacle, before which an altar stood
it

though

is

probable that up to this time the public

sacrifices,

offered daily, monthly,

and yearly, on behalf of the whole and
offered

nation,

were

slain at Gibeon,

by Zadok.

The new
and
use,

tent

and

its altar

being ready for occupation
it

arrangements were made for bringing into

the

Ark

of the Covenant, which had, for nearly a century of

years,* lain in its

room

at Kirjath-Jearim,
it.

with no High-

priest in attendance

upon

'

This approximate total

is

thus made up

;

(1)

Samuel's judgeship, from
;

the loss of the ark to the election of Saul, 40 years
reign, during the whole of
(3)

(2)

length of Saul's

which the ark was in captivity, ahout 20 years David's reign of seven years at Hebron, and portion of reign in Jerusalem,

10 to 15 years.

66
It

THE TABERNACLE.

was determined to have a great procession of manythousands, gathered from all places between the extremes
of

Wady-el-Arish and the Yalley of the Orontes.
is

In
of

the record of this assemblage no mention
priests or Levites.

made

Psalm

cxxxii.

was then composed.
lost in battle,

The
its

idea

was that

as the ark

had been

and

absence from the Tabernacle was thus a national act,

so the
it to

whole nation, by

its

representatives, should escort

Jerusalem, and that the soldiery and civilians should
it

there deliver

to the priests, to be put into its place in

the midst of the Tabernacle.
at Kirjath-Jearim, with
as the ark

The procession was formed
musical instruments, and

many

had been restored by the Philistines on a new
kine, so
it

cart

drawn by two milch
cart

was now put upon

a

new

and placed in the care of two of the sons o£

Abinadab, one of
the cart.

whom

led the oxen

and the other drove

As Kirjath-Jearim was
it is

neither a priestly nor

a Levitical city,

probable that Abinadab and his sons
are

were laymen.
nor
is

They

nowhere given any sacred rank,
to their long care of the ark.

any blessing attached
removing

The

policy pursued, that of following the Philistine

precedent of

the

ark,

and of

restoration an act of national glorification,

making its was a fatal
ark

one.

Uzza was smitten

to death for touching the

when

the oxen were restive.

The

procession was at once

arrested.

David, who was present, as one of the players upon harps, on the instant gave orders to abandon the

progress.

The ark was reverently carried by Levites into the house of one of their number who lived in a neighbouring

RISE OF OBED-EDOM.
Tillage,^

67
sense

and

Israel dispersed with a

new

of the

reality of the Mosaic

Law, and
it.

of the penalties following

on those who disobeyed

Obed-Edom, into whose house the ark was received, was a Kohathite Levite of the family of Korah, the
Kohathites being the highest in rank of
all

the Levites,

Aaron and Moses belonging
a resident of Gittaim

to

their

stock.

He was

(= two

winepresses), a village that

stood beside the road, somewhere in the ten miles that

separated Eirjath-Jearim

and Jerusalem.
it

Its site has

not been recovered, though

is

mentioned in David's
after the

time (2 Samuel

iv.

3),

and again
the

restoration

(Nehemiah

xi.

33).

From
to

name

of his home, and
this

from the prominence into which the events of
brought him, he came
Gittite.

day

be known as Obed-Edom the
in his care for the space of

The ark remained

three months, during which time
blessed him.
in the

we

are told the

Lord

The nature of the
to

blessing

may

be seen

names

of the eight sons (1 Chron. xxvi. 4-5)

who

were successively born

him, and whose descendants

became principal members of the Temple guard. Till The fact of these sons then he evidently had no son.
having been born, and having grown to early manhood
subsequent to the removal of the ark to Jerusalem,
is

one

of many indications of the time which elapsed between
different events recorded in

the text, and which stand

adjacent to one another.
1

A

number

of the Tabernacle
iv. 3).

village (2

Samuel
it

probable that

Nethinim were at this time living in this fled from the massacre by Saul, it is lay outside the boundaries of the tribe of Benjamin. The

As they had

text impUes this.

68

THE TABERNACLE.
for the further removal of the ark with all fitting

12. During these three months great preparations were

made

The ritual of the Law was studied Both the High - priests were and minutely followed. ordered to be in attendance, that they might wrap up
solemnity and honour.
the ark in the inner veil of the sanctuary, as prescribed
in

Numbers

iv.

5-6, and place

its

staves in

position.

Neither priests nor Levites were allowed to touch the
ark, or to look

upon

it

when

uncovered.

tken carried
shoulders.

it,

the ends of the staves
this purpose

The Kohathites resting upon their
of 742 attended

For
;

120 attended the procession

from Gittaim
as musicians.

other Levites to the

number

The

sons,

i.e.

the associates, of Jeduthun

who were
of

Merarites,

percussion.

had harps and other instruments The sons of Heman, the grandson of
Kohathites
(1

Samuel,

and

so

Chron.

vi.

33),

bore

trumpets and other wind instruments.
(Gershonites) were singers.
guilds of music were under a
chief of the Levites,
of the ark, because

The sons of Asaph The members of these three conductor named Chenaniah,
skilful

who

instructed about the carrying
(1

he was

Chron. xv. 22).

Some

of the instruments were set to Alamoth and others

to the Sheminith.

It

is

interesting to

know

that the

musical octave was in use in those early times, of which
the superscriptions of Psalms xlvi. and
vi.

are memorials.

When

the procession

moved

oflF,

seven priests, robed in

linen garments

and blowing
it

silver trumpets,

immediately

preceding

it,

and

was seen that no by the

disaster occurred,

but that
sacrifices

God

accepted the services of the porter-Levites,
offered

were

roadside.

With

great

ARK BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM.
rejoicings
tlie

69

ark was carried to Jerusalem (Obed-Edom
special

and Jehiah being in

attendance upon

it),

and

set in its place in the

Holy
great

of Holies within the
it

new

Tabernacle which had been built for

in the city of
oflfered

David.

Sacrifices

in
it,

number were then

on the altar before
gifts of

and the day closed with royal

bread and raisins and wine to every adult being

— the
the
for

flesh of the peace-offerings

common
1

to

all.

We
official

have in the 16th chapter of
setting of the

Chronicles

Psalm which David composed

this great occasion.

And
it

in

Psalms

cv.

and

xcvi.

we

have the same poem as

amended
two other

for

was divided into parts and use in the Temple worship. Besides these
which were written with direct reference

memorials of that day, we have in Psalms xv. and xxiv.
lyrics

to the death of Uzza, but their tone of sadness

and query

does not comport so well with the day of rejoicing as

with the period of anxiety which immediately preceded

it.

13. There were now, and for several years, two fully

equipped Tabernacles in

Israel.

That

at

Gibeon was

presided over by the representatives of the elder line

Aaron and had as its distinctive glory the original Tabernacle and Altar made by Moses. That at Jerusalem, was distinguished by having the original Ark and MercySeat and the two tables of the Law, and was attended
of

by the heir of the younger line of Aaron's descendants. Both were under the protection and support of the King, as supreme ruler in Church and State subject

—

only to the theocratic idea under which the nation was

70
called

THE TABERNACLE.
into
existence.

With consummate
nothing
hostile

kingcraft

David determined upon doing
divide
Israel

which

should

into

two

camps

of

worshippers.

The younger brothers and sons of each High-priest being ordinary priests, and not High-priests, and the genealogies being carefully kept, no difficulty arose in
surrounding each of the two heads of the sub-clans with
a

number

of

associate-priests.

They would

naturally

group themselves around the several princes of their The danger of family at Gibeon and at Jerusalem.
schism in such an arrangement was one which David
took an early opportunity of correcting, as

we

shall see.

But

at the first this is

how

the two altars were served,

so far as sacrificing priests

were needed.

"With Levites the case was different.
of these were divided

The three

clans

by David's authority immediately
vi.

on the establishment of regular worship in Jerusalem.

Asaph and
ministered

all

the Gershonites (1 Chron, the

39-43)
as

before

ark

continually,

by

turns,

every day's work required, either as musicians or as
attendants on the
slaughterers
of
sacrificial

animals.*

Obed-Edom
with

the Gittite, with sixty-seven of his brethren,

another

Obed-Edom,

a
all

son

of

Jeduthun,

and

Hosah, another Merarite, in

seventy persons, or ten

' At the reopening of the Temple on the accession of Hezekiah, the priests were too few to flay the sacrifices. They were therefore helped, in this part of the work, by the Levites (2 Chron. xxix. 34). This passage is therefore against the view that the Levites up to this period slaughtered the sacrificial animals, as, when needed, they only assisted to flay them. But in the amended rules of Ezekiel they were to be allowed to kill the sacriflces for the people, hut not more directly to attend upon the altar (Ezekiel xliv. 10-14).

PUBLIC WORSHIP REORGANIZED.

71

per diem for every week, were appointed to be doorkeepers of tlie Tabernacle in Jerusalem. The staff was

now

complete.

Priests, Levites, singers,

and doorkeepers

were in their

and chief amongst them was Asaph, the writer of Psalms 1. and Ixxiii.-lxxvii. That Asaph
places,

was the writer
xxix. 30,

of certain

Psalms
of the

is

aflBrmed in 2 Chron.

The remaining Levites

sub-clans of

Heman
in

and Jeduthun (Kohathites and Merarites) were

the

choir, or assistants to the slaughterers in the shambles,^

or at the gates of the Tabernacle of the Lord' that was
at

Gibeon
this

(1

Chron. xvi. 39-42).

From
is

the terms in
it

which

arrangement of Levites

recorded

would

appear that the service of song in the House of the

Lord that was
it

at Jerusalem was, with the exception of

the priests' trumpets, purely vocal, and that at Gibeon

was

largely,

if

not wholly, instrumental.

This

is

what might have been anticipated when we read that, at the progress from Gittaira, 'On that day did David first ordain to give thanks unto the Lord by the hand of Asaph and his brethren' (1 Chron. xvi. 7). The precedent then established was retained by the same authorities, David and Asaph, in the worship which
daily rose from the city of David.
set to

Devotional words

music were now

first

introduced into the Church

by the poet-king and

the psalmist-singer.

The

older

and more conservative method of musical worship by instruments was naturally retained at Gibeon. This was
in

harmony with the law of Numbers
1

x. 10.

Such an

See note on p. 70.

72

THE TABERNACLE.
House of God more intelligently called for such psalms and hymns and
the

innovation as was in use in Ophel not only rendered
the service of
devout,
it

also

spiritual songs as

we have

in the

body of the Psalter,
to the

and has thus been an unspeakable blessing
in all subsequent ages.

Church

The genealogy

of the three chiefs of the two choirs,

with Asaph standing on the right of Heman, and Ethan
(

= Jeduthun)
it

on his

left,

is

given in 1

Chron.

vi.

16-48,

being

stated
'

that their appointments were

merely provisional
of the

until

Solomon had built the House
'

Lord in Jerusalem
'

(verse 32).

The

'

tabernacle

of the tent of meeting

is,

however, spoken of as one,
of the whole

though in two
meeting.

parts,

the representatives
at

body of musicians being present
In chapter
is

the

recognition

xvi.

37-42, their separation into

two choirs
noted.

recorded, with their constituents, as already

14. It

is to

be imagined that the removal of the ark to

Jerusalem, and the inauguration of the Tabernacle- service
there, took place about the

middle of David's reign of
is,

forty years.

The

true sequence of events

however,

of more importance than an exact chronology of any one
of them,

and the next development bearing upon our
that of the acquirement of a site for the future
its

subject

is

temple, and

occupation by an altar.

This took place in connection with David's census of
the people, a matter which the Law,
sanctions,

though

so

shrewd a man

as

we have it, Joab knew that it
as

THEOPHANY ON MOEIAH.
would be a cause of
guilt to Israel
;

73
being

tlie

reason

that the half-shekel of atonement-money for each male

above 20 years of age was not proposed to be collected,
according to the law of Exodus xxx. 11—16.
for not

The penalty
well known.

doing so was to be an outbreak of the plague.

The
It
to

sequel of the census taken

by Joab
that

is

is,

however, worthy of notice

the

command

build

an

altar to

Jehovah in the

threshing-floor

of

Oman

the Jebusite was of Divine origin, and came
(1

through the prophet Gad

Chron. xxi. 18).

This comto

mand was

at once obeyed,

and David himself went

effect the purchase.

It is

a point of capital urgency to
(as

show that the threshing-floor
Evidence on this behalf
is

might be anticipated)
it
it

lay outside the circuit of the city wall as

then stood.

reserved until

can be more
It is

fully dealt with in the topography of Jerusalem.

there inferred that the original north wall of the city of

David ran diagonally

across

what

is

now known

as the

Haram
the
site

area, cutting off its south-west corner,

and leaving

of the Sakhrah Stone

outside the fortification.

To this spot David came, buying the threshing instrument and oxen for fifty silver shekels,^ and the large site
of ground, probably the whole farm, for 600 shekels of
gold.^

As soon

as the purchase

was completed, David

built there an altar to Jehovah, and offered the

two oxen

as a burnt-sacrifice, on

which

fell

the

fire

of Heaven.

»

and gold in early times -was that of 13 40, a gold shekel of the same weight as one of silver would be valued at about
2

At 3«. id., about £8 As the ratio in value

10s.

of silver

:

10».

Hence 600 such =£300.

74

THE TABEENACLE.

When we remember that every Jewish altar was placed upon a base of either sods or unhewn stone, by which the
site

was at once raised and

levelled,

and that the brasen

altar was, in every case, a small

moveable box, with an
the burnt-

interior grating, it is hardly possible to avoid the con-

clusion that the actual altar then used for
sacrifice

was that which had stood before the Tabernacle
It

in the city of David.
for removal, being

was

fitted

with rings and staves

doubtless modelled after that con-

structed

by Bezalel in the wilderness.
from the fact that
all

This supposition
the proceedings of

receives support

that

day were hastily carried

out,

on account of the

plague then raging, and which prevented David's going
to

Gibeon (1 Chron. xxi. 29).

To suppose

that a delay of
altar,
is to

several days

would have followed, while a new

covered with plates of brass, was being constructed,
violate all the probabilities of the case.

On

the miraculous

proof

of

the

acceptance of

his

sacrifice,

David emphatically
and This

said, in the

presence of the
'

High-priest and other

sacrificial attendants,
is

This

is

the

House
It
is

of Jehovah,

the altar of burnt-oflfering

for Israel.'

harmony with Eastern habits of thought and conduct that a spot consecrated by a Theophany should at once supersede any other in its neighbourhood which
in

had hitherto been used for
highly credentialled (Ex.
iii.

sacrifice,

and was not so

at Gibeon, till the reign of

The altar Solomon, continued to smoke
5;
Josh. v. 15).
to

with victims, but
the brasen altar

it is

against the evidence to suppose that

made by David was ever taken back

ALTAR BUILT
ita

ON"

MOEIAH.
is,

75

place before the Tabernacle.

There
the

on the contrary,
of

evidence to show that
authoritative

from

moment

David's

statement to that

effect,

the site of the

threshing-floor

became the place
sacrifices

of sacrifice for all Israel,

and that the national
If
so,

provided by the King

(2 Chron. xxxi. 3) were, from this time, offered thereon.

individual and occasional sacrifices of peace- or sin-

The whole establishment of priests and Levites engaged in this work would thus be transferred, from before the new Tabernacle,
offerings

would

also

be presented there.

to the place

which the Lord had chosen.
x.

This involved,
'

further, that as all offerings were required to be

blown

over

'

by trumpets (Numbers

10), a constant service

of priests would be in attendance there, to

make the blasts,
foot of the altar.

and

to sprinkle the blood

upon and at the

An
site of
it

entirely

new

situation

had thus arisen

in

the

conduct of the public worship of the chosen people.
the threshing-floor, being without the city,

The
left

an unenclosed or but lightly-enclosed space.
unexpectedly

The
it,

miracle so

wrought

there

made

in

a moment, a place of the utmost sanctity, and required
it

to

be guarded, day and night, against the intrusion

of unclean animals and the defilements of man.

No

eyes

but those of the chosen priests and worshippers might
gaze on an altar of Judaism, or on
its

attendant sacrifices.
it

If at this time a Levitical guard were appointed,

could be stationed only according to the points of the

compass, as there was no enclosure-wall, and there were

no gates.
This accordingly was what was done.

We

have in

76
1 Chron.
xxvi.
-

THE TABERNACL1E.
an account of some rearrangement of
guards which can apply only to this period

sanctuary
of history

and

to these special circumstances.
lot,

Appointnorthward,
several

ments of Levitical guards were made by
southward, eastward, and westward.
directions
'

To

these

courses

'

of

doorkeepers were

apportioned,

who held wards one over against another. As we examine the lists of these, we
as

discover that

they were composed largely of the same families and

men

had previously been detailed

to serve the

Jerusalem

Tabernacle in the

same capacity, the transfer of the

whole body of guards being apparently complete, the

number being
of 96 was thus

at the

same time increased.
:

The

total

made up

Obed-Edom and 62

others
...

63 19

Meshelemiah and 18 others

Hosah and 13 others

14

96

Of the

three

'chief men,'

Obed-Edom and Hosah
Meshelemiah, appears
a contingent from
is

have already been before us as chief porters on Opbel.

In the third
as one

case, Shelemiah, or

of the sons

of Asapb, with
1).

that family (1 Chron. xxvi.
anticipate

This

what we should
of

when we remember the close connection Asaph with the Tabernacle built by David.

These 96 persons were divided into four courses under
as

many

captains,

Zechariah,

the

son

of Shelemiah,

being chosen for the fourth
counsellor.'

officer, as

being 'a discreet

THREE CENTRES OF WORSHIP.
Their stations were
:

77

Eastward

Sheleiniah

Northward
Southward

Zechariah'

Westward

Obed-Edom Hosah

la giving us these statements the chronicler adds
several particulars
storehouses,'
'

of his

own knowledge
and
'

as

to

'

the

the Parbar,'

the Causeway,' which

are intended to

be explanatory of the various places

held by the Levitical watchers during the standing of

Solomon's Temple.
restoration
editor,

These items are the work of a post-

and on that account are not

to

be

rejected as untrue, but accepted as supplementary.

An

unaltered early record was here evidently
later material

'

written over,'

being incorporated.

15- There were, during the last years of the reign of

David, three centres of worship in Israel.

At Gibeon

was the original Tent and altar. On Ophel was the tent prepared by David, with its sacred depositum of the Ark, before which incense was burned daily. On
Moriah. was the

new

altar consecrated

by the command

and deed of Jehovah.

When

the prohibition came to David that he was not

to build the

Temple behind the
preparations for

altar,
its

he

set

himself to

make complete
1

erection

by

his son.
by a post-

In an

historical parenthesis of

two and a half

verses, written

restoration scribe, Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah, is said to have been porter of the door of the tent of meeting (1 Chron. ix. 19", 20, 21), thus

confirming the above, and showing the persistence with which the term of the tent of meeting ' was applied to the northern or sacrificial gate.

'

door

78

THE TABERNACLE.
national
unity,
as

The

well

as

the

national

faith,

required the supercession of rival tabernacles and altars,

and the aged king did what lay in his power
the erection of the Temple.

to hasten

A great

step

was taken when the question of

site

had

been settled and partially occupied.
to stand to
levels,
in.

As
all

the Temple was

the west of the altar,

such matters as

areas,

and drainage could be taken into account

the preparation of drawings and specifications.

That

there those

were such will cause no shock of incredulity to

who

are acquainted with the elaborate preparations

made by

the

architects

and

artists

of

antiquity.

Not

only were such prepared, by David's orders, but carefully compiled bills of quantities were drawn up, in which the weight of gold and of silver for all the plate and furniture to be used in the new Temple was
set

down, item by item
of

(1

Chron. xxviii. 14-18).
plans
:

Tbe drawings

the

(called

the

'pattern')

included these separate items
1.

2.

3.

The pattern of the porch, with {a) The houses thereof, (b) The treasuries thereof, (c) The upper rooms thereof. The pattern of the inner chambers, one being, The house of the Mercy-Seat, or Holy of Holies. The pattern of the courts of the house, with
(d)
(e)

(/)

The chambers round about, The treasuries of the House of God, The treasuries of the dedicated things.
(1

Chron. xxviii. 11-12.)

DAYID'S PLANS FOR THE TEMPLE.
1.

79

By

the

first

of these

we

are to understand the design
(

or plan for the porch of 120 cubits

=

144

feet)

in

height.
(a)

By
it,

the 'houses* or rooms 'thereof,'

is

intended

a royal oratory over the porch entrance, with an attic

above

in

which was

stored, at one

time,

the wine

offered with all peace-o£Fering8 (Jeremiah xxxv. 1-5).
(b)

The

treasuries of the porch were

two small rooms

with thick walls, one on either side of the porch entrancehall (called
'

the entry of the house,' 2 Chron.

iv.

22),

in which were kept the golden and silver vessels of the

sanctuary (1 Kings
of the altar,

vii.

51).

These included the furniture

and were under the immediate care of the

High-priest and his deputies.^
(c)

By

the upper rooms of the Temple
attics

we

are to

understand the two

over the two holy chambers,

and of the same
of the roof,

floor-area as they.
railing,

In Herod's Temple
below the ceiling
of

they were divided by a low

which may have been the continuation

a precedent.

The inner chambers were the pronaos and the adytum, known as the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, The latter of these was a cube of 24 feet, and the former
2.

a double cube of the same dimensions.

The transfer of thought in verse 12, from the central and main building to the surrounding structures, is
3.
1

A

somewhat

Bimilar plan

was afterwards adopted

in the Parthenon,
divided,

which
into

was

finished in

438 B.C.

The Temple proper was

by

pillars,

three parts.

In the western of these small chambers were kept vessels for use It became the in the sacred processions, with articles of gold and silver.
Treasury or State Bank of Athens.

80

THE TABERNACLE.
introduction, in tlie words
'

marked by another
pattern of
all

And

the

that he had

by the

Spirit.'
is

The

first

of these to be mentioned

the

'

pattern of

the courts of the house,' by which

we understand

the

arrangement of one court, called the

priest's or

inner court,

within another court, called the people's or outer court.

Such was the

interior disposition of the enclosed ground-

area upon which the Temple stood, as will appear later.
(d)

By

the

'

chambers round about

'

are intended the

three stories of thirty priests' chambers that were built
outside the side walls of the
(1

Temple and

of the Oracle

Kings

vi.

5-6).

These are spoken of as being a portion

of the court, and not of the Temple itself

—

a fact their

which
having

was emphasized in Ezekiel's Temple-plan by
Solomon's by the ceiling beams resting

separate walls adjoining those of the sanctuary, and in
free.

As they

were

for the use of

man, and not a part of the dwelling-

place of the Most High, they are appropriately ranged as
a part of one of the courts.
(e)

The

treasuries of the

House of God were wholly
outward care of which

distinct

from those of the Temple, already mentioned.
storehouses, the
to the sons of

They were the
was committed
as
(1

Obed-Edom, and described being on the southward side of the Temple area
Possibly built by David during
as

Chron. xxvi. 15, 17).
their

his lifetime,

being separately guarded would

imply,
'

1

their

contents

were

placed

in

the

care

of

From

the statement that

the tithes, built within the enclosed area of the
it

may be

inferred that

till

King Hezekiah had Btore- chambers, to contain Temple (2 Chron. xxxi. 11), his time they had stood without that enclosure

DESCENDANTS OF MOSES.
Shebuel,
representative of

81

Gershom, the eldest son of
In them was stored the corn

Moses

(1

Chron. xxvi. 24).
oil

which were paid as tithes by the whole nation, and which formed so large a part of the sustenance of priests and Levites.
erections, together with their

and wine and

It

was the plan of these
in

place

the court, that

David g^ve

to

Solomon, as

'

the pattern of the treasuries

of the House of God.'

These structures are afterwards
'

mentioned by Nehemiah as being the
Gates
'

storehouses of the

(Nehemiah

xii. 25).

(/) The
placed

treasuries

of

dedicated

things

were two

chambers similar to the
all the spoil

last

described, in

which were
be

won

in battle
to

from the time of Joshua
this

and

after.

The

references

will

found in

Numbers

xxxi. 21-23, 51-54, and 1 Chron. xxvi. 26-28.

These chambers when built were placed under the care
of Shelomoth, the lineal descendant of Eliezer, the second

son of Moses.
the

In

this

way

did later generations honour

memory

of their great lawgiver.

outside property of the

The care of the Temple was thus uniformly com-

mitted to the Levites, and over the whole of the chambers,
the contents of which were committed to the sons of

Moses, was placed a chief treasurer
a Levite (1 Chron. xxvi. 20).
It

named Ahijah, also was not he who wrote the
in

book of the

acts of
is

Solomon mentioned

2 Chron.

ix. 29.

The

scribe

described as a Shilonite, or resident of

Shiloh (1 Kings xiv. 2), and therefore an Ephraimite,

while the superintendent of the treasuries was a Levite.
and to the south, of it. In the Herodian Temple they occupied the four comers of the Treasury Court, which lay to the south of the Temple.

82

THE TABERNACLE.
tribal affinities of these three families of Levites

The
(as

already given) are confirmed by the statement of

1 Chron. xxvi. 19, that the courses of the doorkeepers

were

'

of the Korahites and the sons of Merari,' Obed-

Edom
It

being a Korahite, of the family of Korah, and
the altar on the

Shemaiah and Hosah being Merarites.
is

probable,

that,

at

the

first,

threshing-floor was guarded

by

a single sentinel on eacli

of

its

four sides, the captain for each side furnishing

these in rotation out of the twenty-four
his

men

of

which

guard consisted.

Or, the Jewish

month being one

of four weeks, each course
for a single

may

have furnished the guards
As, however, the Temple
erection,

week

in turn.

service

became more elaborate with Solomon's
to

the

number

of guards on duty at the same time

was

increased

twenty -four.
that

It

is

the

stations

of this

enlarged

guard

are

detailed

by the

chronicler.
first

A

curious error of some copyist occurs in the
16, chapter xxvi., the last

two

words of verse

word of the

previous verse being repeated, and the corrected sentence

reading 'To Hosah westward.'

The twenty-four guards
their stations, are

on duty in the Temple of Herod, with
course.

given in the Mischna, and will be referred to in due
This number was continued from the time of

Solomon's Temple to the destruction of the Temple by
Titus,

and

is

that

given

by the

chronicler,
(1

at

the

restoration,

as a

matter of previous history

Chron.

xxvi. 12-19).

16.

I.

From

the

two -verse

recapitulation

of

the

SOLOMON BECOMES KING.
buildings to be erected
it is

83
is

evident tbat
It is so for

it

an in-

complete summary of them.

two reasons.
of the forest

One, because

it

does not include any docket of state

erections or royal dwellings.

The house

of Lebanon, the palaces that Solomon built for himself

and Pharaoh's daughter, and the hall of justice or judgment are not included. Civic conveniences and
state

requirements were

not classed with

Divine aproll

pointments.
the
patterns

Another reason may be that the
given
to

of

Solomon

may have
courts
of

contained

ground-plans

and

drawings

of the

and

their

surrounding
(v.

erections.

The plan
suffice to

Gudea's

palace

Plate, p. 142), dating back to nearly twenty centuries

before David's day,

may

show how such

outline-

drawings were prepared.
the precious
calculated.

Not only were
item of
in

these drawings
of

and building-specifications complete, but the weight
metals for every
furniture
of

was

We

know
made

that,

place

the

single

seven-branched candlestick in the Tabernacle, ten such
candlesticks were
a
(1

Kings

vii.

49).

Beside these,

new golden

altar of incense

and ten

tables of shew-

bread were constructed.

Also the gold-plating for the

two olive-wood cherubim, which flanked the ark, was estimated for. All the gold and silver for these articles
of furniture was duly estimated and provided.
of the Covenant alone remained unrenewed.

The ark

The

last official act of

David's reign was to hand over

these documents to Solomon in a national assembly of the

heads of the people, with solemn charges to him and to

them

to carry out the

work

of

buUding the Temple with

84
courage and
festivities,

THE TABERNACLE.
zeal.

On

the next day, amid great religious

Solomon was, a second time, anointed king,

and assumed the reins of government.
II.

Amongst

the papyri or parchments handed to the

youthful sovereign on this memorable day was one containing nominal
Levites,
lists

of the courses of the priests
all

and

who should do
its

the

work

of the service of the

house of the Lord on

completion (1 Chron. xxviii. 13).

The preparation
days.

of this record involved

immense

labour,
full of

and was accomplished when David was old and

Of even greater age was Zadok, from Gibeon, and with them was young Ahimelech, son of Abiathar
(1

Ohron. xxiv.
(fl)

3).

The succession to the High-priesthood in the new Temple was left undetermined and untouched. It was solved, as we know, by the deposition of Abiathar, soon
after Solomon's accession.
(b)

The

priests

were scheduled, and

it

was found that
were so
rival

there were

many more

of one family than of the other.
lots

In the division into twenty-four courses the
cast as to effect a complete hierarchies.

amalgamation of the

Two
of

lots

were taken from the house of

Eleazar, and, alternately, one from the house of Ithamar.

The name
1

the prince of

each

course

is

given in

Chron. xxiv.

Three of these were known by the same

names

in the time of

Nehemiah

(1 Chron. ix. 10,

and

Nehemiah xi, 11). (c) The Levites were number of courses for

similarly divided into an equal

rotation in

service.

Of

these

TEMPLE SERYICE OEGANIZED.
courses

85
nine
of

nine

were

formed

of

Gershonites,

Kohathites, and six of Merarites.
consisted of a thousand men.

Each of the courses

Their duties are defined as

those of tithe- gatherers, police, cooks, weighers, sweepers

and cleaners
xii.

(1

Chron. xxxiii.

28-32, and Nehemiah

44-47).

(d)

The

singers, again,

were divided into twenty-four
each.

courses of twelve

members

These were chosen for
their descent alone.

their fitness for this work,

and not by

Fourteen of the sections were Kohathites, six Merarites,

and four Gershonites.
attached to the Temple,

In the Temple

built

after

the

Captivity, to the singers were assigned certain chambers
it

being explained that they

dwelt in the chambers, for they were employed in their

work day and night

(1

Chron.

ix. 33).

twelve to each choir was retained.
of 2 Chron. xxxv. 15
is to

The number of The Asaphite choir

be understood as being so

named after The way
Levites,

its

founder.

in

which these several courses of
service

priests,

and singers rotated in
division of time

was dependent

upon the peculiar
to each year, with

amongst the Hebrews.

Their months were lunar, twelve of which were reckoned

an intercalary month, called a second

Adar, inserted now and again to keep the seasons.
such were required every nineteen years.

Seven

Each
at

of the several twenty-four courses

was on duty

for a single

week

at a time, the

exchanges taking place

noon on the Sabbath.

An

illustrative use

made

of this

custom

may

be seen in the account of the revolution
its

under Jehoiada, which owed

military success largely

86
to the fact

THE TABERNACLE.
of there being two courses of priests and
xi. 9).

Levites in the Temple at the same hour (2 Kings

In
eight

this

way each

course undertook duty twice in forty-

weeks, the occasional insertion of an intercalary
variety, so that in the course of a

month providing
four seasons.
(e)

few

years every set of courses would attend at each of the

As

the

number

of Levites

was in excess of those
the

required for the interior service of the sanctuary, others

were

appointed

doorkeepers,

to

number

of

four

thousand.
of Merari
to

These were chosen exclusively from the clan
of

and from the family which Obed-Edom belonged.
histories

Korah the Kohathite,
porters

It is not stated in the

contemporary
courses.
porters,

that

the

attended

in

On

the restoration
Levites,

we

find that the four chief

who were

had their lodging round about

the house of God, and their brethren in their villages

come in every seven days from time to time to be with them (I Chron. ix. 25-27). The number on
were
to

duty every day
Temple.

is

given by the Talmud at 240, ten being

detailed for each of the twenty-four stations in the Herodian
It
is,

therefore,
relief

evident that there must have

been some system of

by which a part only of the
It

4,000 ' porters should be on duty at once.

was their duty

to see that no one ceremonially impure should be admitted

into the court of the sanctuary (2 Chron. xxiv. 19).

A
'

writer in Hastings'
iii.

Dictionary of the Bible
a
difficulty

{art.

Genealogy,
Each

20)

finds

in

the fact that

of the four chief doorkeepers thus

had the command of a thousand

assistants.

This would allow of 40 for each of 25 weeks.

COURTS OF

LAW

READJUSTED.
of the eons of

87

Jehdeiah and Isshiah, chief

men

Amram,
This

father of Moses, were the contemporaries of the descendants

of Moses,

who were
'

the rulers of the treasuries.

difficulty is obviated if it

be observed that these two
Levi
'

men

were the heads of

the rest of the sons of

(1 Chron.

xxiv. 20) after the principal appointments had been made.

(/)

Of the surplus
officers

of

14,000, six thousand others

became

and judges.^
to

By

the

Law

of Moses judges

and

officers

were

be appointed in every Levitical city of

the tribes (Deut. xvi. 18), and, from the blessing of Moses, the tribe of Levi was to 'Teach Jacob thy judgements

and Israel thy law
a

'

(compare Dent. xxi. 5 and xxxiii.
of these

10).

The appointment

6,000 was not, therefore,
of

new

thing,

but

a

reconstruction

the

personal

machinery of the Law.

In the days of Nehemiah,

Levites are described as having the oversight of the

outward business of the house of God (Nehemiah xi. 16), which would include the administration of law as well as
the collection of tithes.
It
is

interesting to note that

Chenaniah, the chief
.

Levite,

who conducted
(1

the

music when the

ark

was

brought to Jerusalem
Chron. xxvi. 29).
{g)

Chron. xv. 22), was now, with

his sons, appointed over this great department of State
(1

Four thousand others were appointed instrumental musicians, and were thus completely separated from the singers, and given an inferior position. They were
1 Connting eastern and western Manaeseh aa two tribes, this would give Each minor an average of 500 Levites for legal purposeB to each tribe. court consiated of not less than seven persons.

88

THE TABERNACLE.
it
is

not divided into courses, and
services in the

supposed that

tlieir

Temple were voluntary and

occasional.

Of

course, like

other Levites, they had their share in

the Temple offerings

when

there,

and their right

to a plot

of land in one of the cities of the Levites.
t

17.

Not only was the

personnel of the priesthood
;

reformed before David's abdication

the land held

by

them was

also subjected to revision.

By

Joshua's direction twelve cities had been set apart

for the Aaronites,^

and an average of twelve others
all.

for

each of the three clans of Levi, forty-eight in

Of

these, six

were

cities

of refuge, to afford protection

to those

who were

guilty of homicide, as distinguished

from murder.
towns

For the purposes of easy access these
selected

were

principally

for

their

central

situations.

According

to the direction

of Deut. xix. 3,

three were on the east and three on the west of the

Jordan.

Those on the east were

first

chosen, and, later,

three others on the west, the positions of which were
as

nearly as

possible

in line with those

on the
xx.
8)

east.

Thus,

Bezer

in

the

wilderness

(Joshua
of

was

paralleled

by Hebron.

The

ruins

Kusur Besha^r
and
lie

are three miles south-west of

Dibon,

on the

north bank of the river Arnon. northern boundary of
1

The Arnon was the

Moab

at the time of the conquest,
'

Eeferring to the Herodian Temple, Edersheim says,

The number

of

instrumental performers was not limited, nor yet confined to the Levites,

some of the distinguished families which had intermarried with the priests being admitted to the service (The Temple, p. 143). The instruments used were cymbals, psalteries, and harps (2 Chron. xxix. 25).
'

ECCLESIASTICAL TOWNS REVISED.
but in the time of Jeremiali
(xlviii. 24), after

89

the fall of

Samaria and the captivity of eastern

tribes,

under the

to Moab. It is mentioned on the Moabite Stone as having been rebuilt by Mesha.

name Bozrah,i Bezer belonged
The two
central

refuge

cities

were Shechem in the
the
division

west and Ramoth-in-Q-ilead
(

in

of

Gad

=

Reimun), on nearly the same parallel of latitude.

The two northern refuge towns were Kedesh-in- Galilee and Golan in Bashan. As a possible site ( = Kades) for Golan, Dr. Merrill suggests es Sanamein on the Haj
pilgrim-road, and in the proper latitude.

Hebron was occupied by priests and Kohathite Levites, Shechem by Kohathites, Golan and Kedesh by Gershonites, and Bezer and Eamoth by Merarites. No change in any of them was carried out at
these six towns

Of

the time of David's revision.

Twelve other towns, in the divisions of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin, were set apart, at the occupation,
{a)

to

be inhabited by the families of the sons of Aaron,
Aaronites.

known later as the number of
are told

The only
is

indication

we have

of

their inhabitants

that given at the time

of David's removal from Hebron to Jerusalem,
that nine hundred

when we
Aaron
to

men
-

of the house of
priest,

under Zadok, afterwards High

came

make

David king. If we except some
alterations in
'

slight changes of

name, as Hilen for

Holon, AUemeth for Almon, there are but two or three

them
also

at the time of David.

One

is

the

That Bezer was

known

as

Bozrah

is

confirmed

by Eusebius

[Onom. 232).

There was a second Bozrah in Bashan.

90
substitution of

THE TABERNACLE.
Ashan
for Ain, in the land of Simeon.
to

These places were neighbouring towns near
(Joshua xix.
7).

Beersheba

Another modification
significance
;

of Joshua's

list

is

of greater

it is

that of the omission of Gibeon as a city

of the priests, with

no

substitute.

In

this severe treat-

ment we have one
sacred place
is

certain result of Saul's attempt to
city.

make

Gibeon the capital

Its complete superceasion as a

strong evidence of that intention, as no

other reason of suflBcient weight can be found to have

caused so violent and unparalleled a disturbance of the
long-existing order.

The removal

of the priests' families
its relative

from Gibeon would largely diminish
ance in the
cities of Israel,

import-

and was

also in the nature of

a punishment inflicted

upon them,

as

having been parties
Juttah in Judah

to Saul's policy of local aggrandisement.

was

also

abandoned, as the division of Judah had an
cities,

undue number of sacerdotal
from the Levites.
(b)

and the scheme of

reduction was to take two cities from the priests and four

This diminution of

two in the number of the

priestly

towns was accompanied by some similar cases in
cities,

the Levitical

though the causes of the reduction in

tbeir case are

more obscure.

The capture
as

of Jerusalem,

and

its

coming importance

the prospective place of

the Temple, would bring a large

number

of priests

and

Levites into

it,

and would thus contribute

to the desira-

bility of lessening the

number of

Levitical towns on the

new

register.
political

Another

change which had occurred within

REDUCTION OF PRIESTLY TOWNS.

91

the past three centuries was that, during the time of the

Judges, the small tribe of Dan, originally located about
the seaboard of Joppa, had removed to the northern
lying near the sources of the Jordan.
of but a single clan, the patriarch

Dan

The

tribe consisted

Dan having had but
at

one son.^

The 600 men who went
some
families

to

form the settlement
tribes'

Laish were probably the bulk of the

manhood, but In the south,
it is

must have remained

at

home, as Samson's
not

exploits were subsequent to the migration.

the tribe gradually declined in numbers, though

correct to say, as does a writer in Hastings' Dictionary
(art.

Dan), that the tribe

is

'omitted from the genealogies
is

of the Chronicles.'
vii. 12),

Hushim
first

there

named

(1

Chron.
tribes,

and in his proper place in the order of the
last as that of the ex-royal

Judah being named
and Benjamin

as that of the Tribe of David,

family of Saul.

The vacant
in part

territory of

Dan, never more than partially

conquered, was occupied in part by the Philistines and

by the

tribe of

a consequence
Levitical cities

we
the

find

Ephraim (Judges i. 34, 35). As that when David rearranged the
of

name

Dan

is

not mentioned, and

those of

Ephraim are introduced with the enigmatical sentence, Some of the families of the sons of Kohath had cities of their border [taken] out of the tribe of Ephraim
* '

(1

Chron.

vi.

66).

The hidden

reference here

is to

the

fact that of the four Kohathite

towns formerly attributed

*

'

Shuham

pf the letters of

a scornful

Numbers ixvi. 42 is the result of a simple transposition Hushim (Genesis xItL 23). In 1 Chron. vii. 12 there is reference to idolatrous Dan in Aher as Another one.'
'

in

'

'

'

92
to the tribe of

THE TABERNACLE.
Dan, two, Eltekeh and Gibbethon, entirely

disappear, and two, Aijalon and Qath-rimmon, are included

in those of Ephraim.

Another change in
Kohathites was
eastern foot of

the

Ephraimite
of

towns

of

the

the

substitution
for

Jokneam, at
Gezer

the

Mount Carmel,
the tribe,

Kibzaim, a town in
^

the south of

mentioned with

and

Bethhoron (Joshua xxi. 22), and wbich had probably
fallen into the

hands of the Philistines, or been destroyed
mention,

by war.

At

its

first

Jokmeam

(called

Jokneam,
It

Joshua xxi. 34, now Tell Keimun) appears as a border

town of Zebulun, and was given

to the Merarites.
to

was now, by David, transferred
their boundary,

Ephraim, being on

and given

to the Kohathites.

Ephraim

thus gained an extension of territory to the north as well
as to tbe south, this being one of

many

indications of the

growing power of that

tribe.
th.e

In the adjoining division of western Manasseh,

Kohathite towns of Taanach (Joshua xxi. 25) and Gath-

rimmon were
of Shechem,

replaced by

Aner

(

=

Elldr),

north-west

and Ibleam (Joshua

xvii.

11), the

modern

Yebla, five miles north of Bethshan.

The number

of towns in the occupation of the Kohathites
to eight, tbe

was tbus reduced from ten

two Danite towns

of Elteke, the Eltekeh of Joshua xix. 44, and Gibbethon,
1

Gezer was a city of the Kohathite Levites,

now known

as Tell Jezer,

lying between the road and the rail from Jafia to Jerusalem.
inscription has been

A

rock

found here, the translation of which is, ' The boundary As Gezer was a walled town (1 Kings ix. 17), this inscription of Gezer.' should measure 600 yaads from the wall of tiie city.

REDUCTION OF KOHATHITE TOWNS.
modern Ras-el-Ain, being
time, to the nation.^
(c)

93

finally lost to

them and,

for the

The

thirteen towns

given by Joshua to the sons

of Gershon remained unaltered in
of

number

to the

time

Solomon,

A

comparison of the early
as

list

with that

of the

monarchy shows,
Thus
:

might be expected, some

changes in name.
1.

Be-eshterah (Josh. xxi. 27)
(1

(=Houseof Ashtoreth)
It

becomes Ashtaroth
one of the royal

Chron.
of Og,

vi. 71).

was formerly
and
its

cities

King

of Bashan,

remains are known as
east of the
2.

Tell 'Ashterah,

twenty miles

Sea of Tiberias.

Kishion in Issachar becomes Kedesh, on the west

side of the plain of
3.

Megiddo.

Mishal in Asher becomes Mashal, now Maisleh, to

the north of the
4.

Bay

of Acre.

Hammoth-dor

in Naphtali

becomes
of

Hammon,
the

the
of

famous hot springs
Gennesaret.
5.

at

the

south

Lake

Kartan

in

Naphtali becomes
case

Kiriathaim,
'
;

the

meaning in each

being

'

double city

to

the

west of the Sea of Tiberias, but undiscovered.

A
is

more

serious clerical alteration than

any of these

a

copyist's
29.

miswriting of Jarmuth for

Eamoth

in

Joshua xxi.

There was a place of
1

this

name

in the Shephelah of

Nadab, the second king of

Israel,

attempted to wrest Gibbethon from
it

tbe Pbilistines, and was assassinated while besieging The siege was raised by Omri (1 Kings xvi. 15-17).

(1

Kings xy. 27).

94

THE TABERNACLE.
35), the ruins of

Judah (Joshua xv.
in Issachar,

which are

at

Yarmuk,
is

to the north of Socoh.

The Ramoth intended

a town

many

leagues to the north.

Its site has

been
It

recovered at er-Rameh, between Samaria and Dothan.
is

the

Remeth

of Joshua xix. 21.

Another town replaced in Issachar was En-gannim
(

= fountain
to

of

gardens), the Jenin
springs),

of

to-day,
is

which

gave place

Anem (= two

and

represented

by the modern
Also

village of Anin,

on the
Yahiik,

hills to

the west

of the great plain.

Hukok, the

modern

to

the

west

of

Capernaum, in the territory of Naphtali, took the place
of Helkath in the territory of

Asher

(=

Yerka).

The
un-

Gershonites'

thirteen

cities

therefore

remained

diminished in number, but six of them lay in the two

most northerly tribes on the west, and two in

far-off

Bashan on the
of the

east.

As

the Levites were the officers
it

Law and Judges

in all the Tribes,

was necessary

that the old Jacobean prophecy should be fulfilled, and that they should be divided in Jacob and scattered in
Israel

(Genesis xlix.

7).

In

this

way

the civilizing

effects of

law were everywhere present, and the temporary
all

residence of Levites in

the cities of Israel tended to

diminish the pressure of population in their
(d)

own

towns.

Coming,

lastly, to the

twelve

cities of

the Merarites,

we

note that of these eight were in Eastern Palestine

Reuben and four in that of Gad. These towns remained unaltered, in number and in name, from the days of the conquest to those of the monarchy
four in the division of
if

we except

the slight alteration of Jahaz into Jahzah,

REDUCTION OF MERAEITE TOWNS.
the
site of

95

the nation's earliest victory after the crossing
ii.

of the

Arnon (Deut.

32).

As

a counterbalance to this semi- expatriation of more

than half their number, the Merarites bad the remaining
four cities of their clan amid the fertile hills and valleys

around Nazareth and to the north of the plain of Megiddo.
This was the territory of Zebulun, and for some reason

which cannot now be divined David and

his

assessors

made

a complete change in the Merarite holdings in this

division.

Jokneam was
(Joshua xix. 11).

built

on the south bank of the river
is

Kishon, this being 'the brook that

before

Jokneam'

The

ford of the river was always the
tribes of

boundary between the

Zebulun and Issachar,

The effect of this has already been pointed out in making Jokneam a town of the Kohathites, and transferring it
to

Ephraim.

The three Merarite towns which, by Joshua's
remained, were
:

allocation,

Kartah (the Kattath of Joshua
miles

xix. 15),

now K&na,

nine

north

of Nazareth

;

Dimnah,

which, from not being mentioned as one of the twelve

towns of Zebulun (Joshua xix. 10-16),
to

is

wrongly thought

have been

Rimmon

;

and Nahalal, now Ain Mahil, in

the same range of hills as Nazareth.

In place of these we have Rimmono, in the same
division, built at a river-pass to the north of Cana-in-

Galilee,

now Eummdneh, and

Tabor, showing a reduction

of one in the number of the exchanges.

Tabor was one of the sixteen

cities of Issachar,

and

was

built

on the top of the well-known

hill of that

name,

96

THE TABEENACLE.
There are
still to

six miles east of Nazareth.
its

be seen on

summit, scattered in indiscriminate confusion, walls,

arches,
all

and foundations (apparently of dwelling-houses),
This was the city newly given to the Merarites

of which are surrounded by the remains of a thick

wall.

out of the country of Issachar, in place of two others
in Zebulun of which they were deprived.

Of

the four towns in Zebulun originally granted to

them, but one remained,

Rimmon

or

Rimmono

;

another

was transferred
dropped.
cities

to a

neighbouring country, a third was

chosen from a contiguous division, and one was altogether

The net result was that the total number of occupied by the Merarites was reduced from twelve
Omitting the six
cities of

to ten.
(e)

refuge and the twelve

priestly towns as being (with the omissions of

Gibeon and

Juttah) unchanged, the thirty purely Levitical cities were,

by David and
number.

his

advisers,

reduced to twenty -six in
^

This reduction of four
it

would greatly
easier to

facilitate

the work of revision, as

would be
than

remove

a body of Levites from any locality, and to give the

land and houses to the
the process.

laity,

it

would be

to reverse

In the four cases where

this

was done, Aner,

Bileam, Hukkok, and Tabor, the removal of the original
Israelites to other sites

was accompanied by giving them

the vacated towns of Kibzaim, Taanach, Gath-rimmon,

Helkath, Kartah, and Nahalal, the transfer from
to
1

Engannim

Anem

being probably to an unoccupied

site.
of

The superseded towns were Aijalon and Gath-rimmon

Dan, Kibzaim

of Epliraim, and Nahalal of Zebulun.

DISCONTENT REMOVED.
The whole
authorities,

97

process shows that, in the opinion of the

the Levites had been If

enjoying an
at the

undue

share of the national property.

we look

of Canaanite towns distributed after
shall be struck

number the conquest, we
Several

by a seemingly great anomaly.
tell

of the tribal divisions are given in their boundaries only,

and we cannot
enclosed.

how many towns
divisions the
totals.

these boundaries

In seven of the eleven
contained in each
all
is

number

of cities

given in

These numbered in
solitary farmsteads

227 towns or agricultural hamlets,

being unknown in Palestine.

Of

these 227 towns, 34 were

given either to the priests or Levites, being nearly onesixth of the whole, instead of one-eleventh.

This undue disproportion
fact that the Levitical

is,

however, lessened by the

towns had a limited commonage

attached to each, of from 500 to 1,000 yards in circumference,

which was not the case in other

collections of
priests

houses.

The

idea evidently

was that the

and

Levites should approximate to the urban rather than to

the rural type of character, and represent a higher culture

and

civilization.

growth of the nation and an increased pressure of population, popular discontent at such an arrangement was sure to arise. It was in order to meet

With

the

this

and

to leave

no seeds of

dissatisfaction in the people's

minds that David carried out his revision of the Church's property, and reduced the Levitical and priestly towns from 48 in number to 42, which is the total of the names
in 1 Chron. vi.

98

THE TABERNACLE.
this

In

way he hoped

to prepare for the peaceful reign

of his son, then about 18 years of age.

The removal
would be

of these grievances against the ecclesiastics

possible to their veteran leader, and might not be so to his successor, while his well-known and tried sympathy

with the clergy of his day would render acceptable to

them changes that would be sure coming from Solomon.
David
in his difficult
for,

to

be

resented

as

These are the motives with which we

may

credit

and gigantic

task.
of,

All was done in

preparation

and in anticipation

the building of the
it

Temple, and of the contented labour in
Levites (1 Chron. xxiii. 3)
all of

of the 38,000

whom

the census had revealed,

whom

were, in one department or another, called

to

its service.

18.

It

was with a statesman's prescience that David
various

made
of

these

preparations
his

for

the

government
that

the country after
financial

decease.

A

large share of

the

prosperity

and

political
is

progress

characterized Solomon's reign

to be credited to him.

The changes and developments initiated by him were gradually introduced. Thus the geographical changes and the reorganization of the legal work of the country
was probably carried out during the
first

three years of

Solomon's reign, and before the work of building the

Temple had begun. During these years an event of family history occurred which had large consequences. It was the request by
Adonijah
for

Abishag the Shunamite.

This at once

HIGH-PRIESTHOOD SETTLED.

99

aroused the somewhat unreasoning wrath of Solomon,

and was followed by the immediate execution of Adonijah and Joab,^ and by the deposition of Abiathar, who was
banished to his estate at Anathoth.

With him
history.

his son

Ahimelech disappears from the page of

It was the daily duty of the High-priest to burn

incense before the ark of the Covenant at the time of

the morning and evening

sacrifice,

the while the priests
the burnt-offerings
It
is

without blew with silver trumpets

till

were consumed

(2 Chron. xxix. 28).

apparent that

by the summary discharge

of Abiathar this principal
as, till

duty

could no longer be performed,

the time of the

Maccabees, no other than the High-priest performed this
duty.

In

New

Testament times
lot

it
i.

was discharged by

a priest chosen daily by

(Luke

10).

It does not seem that Abiathar had anything to do

with the

request of Adonijah,

though he

had been

implicated in his previous attempt to seize the throne
(1

Kings

i.

27).

His dismissal from

office

was, therefore,

an

act of State policy, as it solved the difficulty of there
Israel.

being a dual High-priesthood in

>

As Joab's mother was David's

sister,

he was cousin to Solomon.

His

violent death at the altar raised a strong feeling of revulsion amongst the members of his own family and clan. These were descendants of Shelah,

Owing to the feeling Judah (1 Chron. iv. 21). them migrated to Moab, where they rose to power, and are said to have 'had dominion.' The migration must have been that several centuries later, 2,812 of a considerable body, as on the restoration, governor of Moab), of the children Pahath-Moab of (= 'children returned, Two hundred others returned from (Ezra ii. 6). of Jeshua and Joab Babylon with Ezra {viii. 4). In these lists the Shilonite family of Pahatheldest surviving son of

engendered, a number

of

'

Moab

is

uniformly associated with others of the tribe of Judah.

100

THE TABERNACLE.
service of

For a short time the

burning incense in the

Tabernacle must have been discontinued, as Zadok served
the Tabernacle at Gibeon, where, however, there was no

golden

altar,

and incense was not

offered.

In

this crisis it

would seem that a resolution was taken
all

to close

the worship at Gibeon, but to do so with

the wealth of ceremony and of sacrifice of which the
case admitted.

Solomon himself attended

the closing services,

and

provided a thousand burnt-offerings for sacrifice (1 Kings
iii.

4).

The Tabernacle was then, presumably, taken
carried to Jerusalem,

down and
Hiram.

where

its

golden furniture

furnished models for similar articles to be constructed

by

Having served this purpose, the gold of which they were made was doubtless melted down and formed
a part of the
ritual

new

service

;

it

being a principle of Hebrew

that

anything once dedicated to the service of
to to

Jehovah might not be put

any other

use.

When
thereof.

Solomon returned

Jerusalem he presented
standing in the porch

himself before the Tabernacle,

At

the same time burnt-offerings were

made

on Moriah, for which doubtless Zadok the

priest offered

the necessary incense before the altar of incense.

Every

diflSculty

had now been overcome.

The long
ripe for the

reign of schism was ended.
building of the Temple.

The time was

The plans were prepared, the

Temple service organized, the ground levelled, and on the 2nd day of the month Zif (= May) the building was begun (1 Kings vi. 1).
Seven years after this the Temple was dedicated to the

TABERNACLE HISTORY ENDED.
service of Jehovah,

101

and and
(1

sacrificial
all

by transferring to it, with great pomp ceremony, the ark and the tent of meeting
These
last

the holy vessels that were in the tent on Ophel
viii. 4).

Kings

were placed in

its treasuries,

the ark given

its

place in the innermost sanctuary, while

the wood of the Tabernacle would be consumed in the
fires

of the great altar.

Thus, in the tenth year of Solomon's reign, did the
Tabernacle worship cease
:

the construction of Moses in

the wilderness having served the purpose of God, as the
place of meeting with man, through the space of nearly

three hundred years.^

' This statemeEt is made upon the conclusion that the 480 years of Kings Ti. 1 date from the descent into Egypt, and not from the Exodus. According to the Septuagint the stay of the Israelites in Egypt was one of 216 years. This gives an interval, on the basis ahove suggested, of 265 years between the Exodus and the founding of the Temple. From Egyptian chronology we learn that Ramases II., the Pharaoh of the oppression, died b.c. 1281. There were no Israelites in Canaan when Ramases III. took Hebron and other towns, b.c. 1260-1230. They would be then in the Negeb. From Babylonian chronology we get our first fixed biblical date, which Working back from this we find that is the fall of Samaria in 721 b.c. Samuel was alive in 1050, and that the Temple was begun about 1016 b.c.

1

102

THE TABERNACLE.

GENEALOaiCAL TABLE
Of the Famxlt op
The names given
High-priests.

Aaeoit, to

the openhtg of Solomon's Temple.
men known
to have been anointed

in capitals are those of

AARON
ELEAZAR
Ithamar
I

PHINEHAS
ABISHUA
I

o
I

o
I

BUKKI
I

o
1

UZZI

o
I

ZERAHIAH

o
I

MERAIOTH
AZARIAH
Amariah
Ahitub (Ruler
I

(Ist)

o

(1st)

ELI
I

PHINEHAS
I

of the

Ahitub

House

of

God)

Meraioth (2Ed)

AHIMELECH
I

(= AHIJAH, AHIAH)
(kiUed by Saul)

ZADOE
I

ABIATHAR* TI
I

AHIMAAZ
I

Ahimelech^ (= Abimelech)
Shalium

(= MeshaUum)
(2nd)

AZARIAH

JOHANAN
AZARIAH
(3rd)

"THE SECOND
1

PRIEST."

103

Deposed by Solomon
I do not

(1

Kings

ii.

27).

*

tUnk

that the theory of a copyist's thrice-repeated transposition
;

of

names in 2 Sam. viii. 17, and 1 Chron. xvui. 16 xxiv. 6, is tenable, hut to be based upon a non-apprehension of the official relations which, from early
times, existed between the High-priest and his eldest son.

As the

slightest accidental defilement

an instance disquaUfled the actual High-priest from officiating on the great day of Atonement and at the festivals, it was necessary to have a second
High-priest in reserve, prepared to take his place. This place could only be taken by his eldest son, as the prospective High-priest.

—

—a dream

is

given in the

Talmud

as

There being in the Law no age fixed as that at which the sons of Aaron, in the direct line, were to enter upon their duties,* the eldest son of the Highpriest,

when

stiU a

young man, was often associated with

his father in these

Teeponsibilities.

is

Of this we have an illustration in the case of Abiathar, who in Luke ii. 26 spoken of as High-priest, when the contemporary histories leave us in no
still

doubt that his father was

alive

and held
assisted

office.

So, again, with Ahimelech,

who

priestly courses (1 Chron. xxiv. 3).

He

mentioned, and was given the name of
his father stUl lived,

David in the formation of the was the son of the Abiathar just At the his murdered grandfather.
(1 Kings ii. 27). with the deposition of his father,

time that he was thus engaged, as the representative of the house of Ithamar,

and survived to the reign of Solomon
fell,

If

we reckon a second Ahimelech, who
edict, there is
'

under Solomon's
'

or Chronicles, but

not any need to alter the text of either Samuel Ahimelech the son of Abiathar ' may stand as David's during his father's lifetime.

priest,' i.e. High-priest,
is

The statement that
is

he was so

repeated in 1 Chron. xviii. 16, though in this passage he

called Ahimelech.

It is evident that in cases such as these, contributory causes
ill-health of the senior

might be the

member

of the family, the greater capacity of the

younger member, and the favour of the reigning sovereign shown toward one person rather than another.
'
'

He

it is

that executed the priest's

office

in the temple that Solomon buUt

in Jerusalem' (1 Chron. vi. 10).

The Chronicler (1, vi. 4-15), having traced the succession of down to Azariah III. abruptly ends the line with the above note.
,

High-priests

In verse

1

• The High-priest Aristobulus, after having officiated in the Temple, was murdered by Herod, at the age of 17 (Josephus, JFar, I. xxii. § 2).

104
he resumes the

THE TABERNACLE.

line of succession at Azariah I., and traces it through Shallum, the second son of Zadok, to the time of the Captivity. This is conflrmed by the record of Ezra, who was of the High-priestly family of the line of Shallum
(vii.

1-6).

From

descendants, the Chronicler

the fact that, for the birthright privileges of Shallum and his went back seven or eight generations (from
I.),

Azariah III. to Azariah
point that the line of

the inference

may be drawn

that

it

was

at that

official

descent had been broken in the time of the

Judges, by the introduction of the line of Ithamar in the person of EU.

PAST

II.

THE TRIPLE CUBIT OF BABYLONIA,
WITH RECONSTEUCTION OF THE
SENKEREH TABLET,

EESTOKATION OF THE SCALE OF GTJDEA.

GLOSSARY
OF PRINCIPAL CUNEIFORM CHARACTERS USED IN THE SENKEREH TABLET.

Numerals.

COLUMN

I.

»RAi^iv. MATHEMATICAL TABLET,
KEY.
Number
of Sossi.

obv.

6

3* 3f

4i 4f
5

5l

6

6
8

9
lO
12 i8

24 30
30
35

40 45
50
55

60
90 120 150

3LU1

oKAi^
.EY.

III.

MATHEMATICAL TABLET,

obv.

No.ofSossi.

COLUMN

III.

THE SENKEREH

X>IjA.-

6.

oKAov^
KEY.
Number

II.

MATHEMATICAL TABLET,

obv.

of Sossi.

COLUMN

IV.

csuRA.!^ I.

MATHEMATICAL TABLET.

OBV.

KEY.

No. ofSossi.

3

wts

I
g o

o
OQ -1

H m <( H
W g H § {> « o p p P
CQ OQ

P
pq <!

O
P£1

«1

o OS
P

118

CHAPTER
0:N^

I.

the RECONSTRUCTIOif OF THE
SEI^KEREH TABLET.

—

deeply interesting to know how men's minds worked when the world was young. And it is to Babylonia the cradle of the human race that we must go for some evidence of this. The low alluvial plains at the

IT

is

—

head of the Persian Gulf are covered with the remains
of primitive
cities, palaces,

temples, and cemeteries

;

from
little

one of which,
slab of as

fifty

years ago, was disinterred the
is

unbaked clay which

now

to

engage our

attention,

embodying the world's
Senkereh
a small

earliest

known

arithmetical

system.
is

of the ancient city

Babylonia.
the ruins of

Not

far

Arab village standing on the site of Larsam or Larsa, in Southern away from its series of mounds are
Erech of Genesis
of the Patriarch
x.

Warka

— the

10

—and of

Mukayyar, once the home
in 1850, Mr.

Abram. Here,

W.

K. Loftus discovered a great number of
tablets

tombs containing baked - clay

and pottery, the

former with rude Cuneiform inscriptions impressed upon one or both sides.^ His most valuable discovery was
'

Chaldea and Susiwm, 1867, p. 265.

HISTORY OF THE TABLET.

119

a 'table of squares,' which, with the late Sir Henry

Rawlinson's

aid,

was seen to confirm the statement of

Berosus the Chaldean, that the Babylonians made use
of a sexagesimal notation, the unit of which was termed

a

sossus, as well as of

a'decimal notation.

The

early investigations into the contents of this tablet
to its reverse side,

were confined

which

is

in a state of
its

almost perfect preservation, and which, from
metrical method,
is

geo-

of comparatively easy comprehension.

Its other side, the obverse, is in

much worse

condition,

nearly one -half of
flaked away.

its

figures

and ideographs being
editorship the Trustees

Under

Sir

Henry Rawlinson's

of the British
tablet in Plate

Museum

published a transcription of the
'

37 of the fourth volume of their

Cuneiform

Inscriptions of

Western Asia,' the second edition of which appeared in 1891.^ The possible value of this tablet was In 1868 Lenormant issued his Essai early recognized.
'

un Document Math^matique,' and in 1877 Lepsius, of Berlin, published a monograph upon
sur

Professor
it,

which

may
made

be seen in the library of the Society of Biblical
Beside these,

Archaeologists.
to

many

other attempts were
the

restore

the missing figures, and to read

riddle of this literary sphinx.

Hommel
Bible,
i.

well expressed

the general conviction of Assyriologists
(Hastings' Dictionary
*

when he wrote
218,
article

of

the

Babylonia),

On

the reverse of the tablet of Senkereh

are given the squares and cubes of the cubit from the

No. 1 up
1

to

60 [this
is

is

a clerical error for 40], and on
is

The

tablet itaell

numbered 92,698, and

in the British

Museum.

120

THE TABERNACLE.
much was
perceived, but no more.
Its reconstruction

the obverse the fractions and multiples of the cubit.'

This
still

remained for others to accomplish.
so

The
to

result to be

attained seemed

exceedingly desirable that several

months of application have enabled
exposition
of

me

present an

the

obverse
to

side

of the

tablet,

which,
is

though not complete
far

the smallest detail,

still

so

consistent

and

harmonious
as,

with the existing im-

pressions of the

stylus

I believe, to merit general

acceptance.

When
inches),

it is

stated that each side of the tablet has a

surface for writing of about six inches square (7^

x 5f

and that 285 separate characters are

still

found

on the obverse, and that these require the addition of an
almost equal number which have been effaced, in order
to complete the system, it will
difficulties

be seen that enormous
its

have already been overcome in

transcription.
for the use

The

difficulties

must have been insuperable but
construction.

of the microscope, a magnifying- glass

baving been almost
a

certainly used in

its

Why

work
it is

of such

care and elaboration should not have been hardened

by

being baked,

is

one of those questions which

easy to

ask and impossible to answer.

Coming now
our
first

to the contents of the tablet,
is

we

find that

duty

to divide it

horizontally into sections

and longitudinally into sub-columns.
course,

This involves, of

some acquaintance with
its

its

contents and with the

value of each of

characters.

This done, we find that

there are, in each of its four columns, six sub-columns,

the

number

of sections in each being either three or four.

SEI^KEEEH TABLET COLUMNS.
Column
I.

121

{Diagram IV.)}
series

The

first

column

is

found to represent a

of

arithmetical progressions, and is not, as are the other
three, a

unexpressed.

column of multiplication, with the multiplier In extent it ranges from the smallest
line,

length-measure, that of the
ells

to half of each of the

contained in the following columns.
this

The way
is

in

which

minutest

fraction

is

expressed

a very

ingenious one.

Three
lines.

sossi are taken,

and are repeated
-

through nine

This

is

done in sub

column

1,

and
to

their equivalents in writing are set
6.

down

opposite

them in sub-column

Between these two rows of
3,

characters,

and in sub-column

there are impressed the
lines

gradual and progressive values of nine

(Section A),

with the sign for addition connecting them with the
written figures to their
left.

The

third line on the fifth

diagram
figure

(p.

116) shows
is

that,

with the exception of the

great eU, this

the only instance in which a written
to express a
;

was taken
sossi

whole number or a fraction
of a palm,

of a whole

number
were

the idea to be conveyed being that

three

one-twentieth

a measure
in

which could hardly have been
other

distinguished

any
This

way than by having
this

its

own

ideograph.

ideograph occurs only here in the

tablet.

In
is

way
it

six sossi are reached,

and the

first section

complete,
'

having been shown that there are three

to each sossus.
of the Senkereli tablet it will be found advisable

1

In an independent study

to take the diagrams in the order of their numeration, 1 to 4, rather than

that of the columns.

122

THE TABERNACLE.
B
the progression
is

In Section
later

a decimal one, and
tenths

tlie

figures

move forward
is

in

of

a palm.

In
of

Section
figures

the progression

a duodecimal one,

and the

move forward

in twelfths of a palm.

To each

these sections the value of half a

palm

is

devoted, and
goal,

the table has

now

arrived at
tlie

its

true

summit and

which was
with
one,
all its

to

show

whole palm, as hand-breadth,
fractions, except its principal
II.,

accompanying

which was reserved for Column

where

it

appears

on

lines 14-22.1

Before closing the record, however, the scribe inserted
another section, D, in order to show the relation which
the palm bore to the subsequent columns.

The palm

of

60

sossi is therefore

given as
its

1-^,

2,

and 2^ palms, thus

leading us insensibly to
to be indicated.

further developments, as

now

Column
This
is

II.

{Diagram III.).
is

a

column of multiplication, and

comparable
table.

to the second

column in an ordinary multiplication

Apart from the
Cuneiform,

fact of the multiplier 3 being unexpressed,

and from the bad condition of the upper part of the
it

presents few difficulties.

In one

respect, indeed, it differs

from those following,

and
It
is

this
this

singularity
:

merits

a

moment's consideration.
each of the
the same, namely, twelve
II.

—Whereas

the multiplicand in
is

Columns

II., III.,

and lY.

palms variously arranged and expressed, in Column
'

It will not escape notice tbat the details of the digit in Section

B

are

followed by their use in the fractions of Section C,

Column

II.

SENKEREH TABLET COLUMNS.
the working-out of the system
divisions.
is

123

divided into two main

In the former of these four palms are dealt with, in minute fractions, and are multiplied into small ells, each ell being of the length of three palms. In the
latter,

Section C, eight palms are dealt with in larger

fractions, the total of

both divisions being 12 palms each
a figure which
is

of 60 sossi

X

3

= 2,160,

recorded at the

foot of the column.

Columns III. and IV. {Diagrams II. and

I.).

In these columns the unexpressed multipliers are 4 and
5 respectively,

and with

this

key

in his

hand any scholar

will be able to test for himself the correctness of the

conclusions given and that of the restored figures.

One
to

item only of these columns needs to be referred to here.

They, in common with Column
a

II., are

worked out
a

higher

denomination

than

ells.

When

certain

number
feet

of ells

had been reached, the system developed
become
feet

into one of reeds, just as with us inches

and

become

yards.

Unfortunately, the distinguishing
(i.e.

mark

of these reeds

that

by which they were known
all

one from another) has been efiaced in
columns.

but one of the

The missing characters have been conjecturally

restored in the left-hand panels of the diagrams, but these

have no accepted authority, except in Column lY.

The Fractions of the

Tablet.
is

One of the most fascinating way in which its fractions are

aspects of the tablet

the

expressed.

Of

these there

124

THE TABERNACLE.
and they
afford us a simpler con-

are a great number,

ception of the mathematical attainments of primitive

man

than can be got in any other way.
these
:
,

^, ^, |, |, f |, and ^ are also used. I must refer to a later page, where ^,

and

The improper fractions f The f. For the mode of their expression
it

fractions used are

will be seen that

a horizontal wedge, cut in half
is

by an upright wedge,

the sign for

J,

and that

this simple principle of the

ocular

demonstration of the fraction intended obtains
series.

throughout the whole
I

may

take leave to doubt whether, either the actual
is

finger-breadth or the finger-length
to as a factor of the palm, which,
it

ever here referred

will hardly

be denied,

was the 'fundamental' of
measures.
all

this

whole system of length-

Taking the palm

as the original

from which was
these

other measures were derived, the tablet shows that six

lesser

lengths

were derived from
six

it,

and that

it

multiplied into

greater

lengths.

Amongst
!

twelve derivations the finger does not appear

What

does appear, and what for convenience has been termed a 'digit,' on nine lines of

Column

II.,

is

one-third of
sossi.

a palm, each unit being of the value of twenty

These I take to have been adopted as the conventional
length of the fore-joint of the thumb, which
is

ordinarily

about one-third of the width of the palm, and

may have
was the
Disputes

been commonly used in a sparse population
hand-breadth) for purposes of measurement.
arising from this unscientific

(as

method would early compel
to the

the conventionalization of both measures.

A

tribute of respect is

due

dead-and-gone sages

POINTS FROM THE TABLET.
wto, some
selves,

125

five

thousand years ago, worked out for them-

and
in

for us, this system of arithmetic.

With only

their right

hand
For

to guide
is

them, they elaborated a system
superior to that in use amongst
at once decimal

which

many

respects
theirs

ourselves.

was

and duodecimal,

and

in their

monetary system there could not have been

the anomaly of having twelve pence in a shilling and

twenty shillings in a pound without any power of simple
co-ordination.

Hqw

closely they adhered to the

source and embodiment of their

human hand as the whole system may be seen
is

in their appropriation of its five fingers to differing uses.

One was the symbol of unity or completeness, and

used

in twelve difierent relations on the face of the tablet, as

shown in diagram No. V.
of duplication.

Two was used

for all purposes

Thus there were

single reeds

and double

The remaining integers, 3, 4, and 5, when multiplied together, gave them the 60 which Berosus chronicled, and which, being divisible either by 10 or 12, gave them in the sexagesimal system of notation a more simple and elastic system than our decimal one.
reeds of three varieties.

What

I

think

may be

considered as having been
of the Senkereh tablet
it

established

by the present reading

are these three points.
represents
(1)

That in the system which

The breadth of

the

hand-palm (conventionalized) was

the fundamental of all length-measures.
(2)

That there were three

ell-lengths in simultaneous use,
like

each probably in a different department of trade,

our

own Troy and Avoirdupois

weights.

126
(3)

THE TABEENACLE.
That the relation of these
of
3,
ells to

one another was the

relation

4,

and 5

;

these having been the

number of

palms of which they

respectively consisted.

2.

Having thus given a
of the restored

bird's-eye view of the construction
tablet,

Senkereh

and a brief summary of
it,

the conclusions to be
to

drawn from

it is

now

necessary

go over the

field

again with more especial reference

to the arithmetical signs used,

and to the characters, other
its face.

than figures, which appear on

The numerals themselves do not
comprehension than are the later
the

detain ua, as, with
difficult

one or two exceptions,^ they are not more

of

Roman

figures,
is

but
not

mode

in

which the fractions are expressed

undisputed.
given.

To

this,

therefore,

a

brief space

may

be

In the system by which the various fractions of a whole

number were

at the first

made

visible to the eye,

and

given an abiding permanency,
a deeply interesting problem.
ends, the original

we have
In order
to

the solution of
to attain these

method would seem
which

have been that
throughout the

of taking a single wedge,

-was
it

emblem
to the

of unity, and by treating

as such to
idea.

convey
This

mind, through the eye, the desired

foundation

wedge was

generally treated

horizontally,

there being thus but one step from the work of the
*

Of these exceptions that

for 19

is

the most unusual.

It does not occur on
is

the obverse of the tablet.
''^

The

distinction

= 4,

between 4 and 40

.<^

= 40.

thus attained

See Glossary, p. 107.

TABLET FRACTION

SIGNS.

127

hewer-of-wood to that of the ideal of the

artist in .clay.
its

So placed, the prostrate unit was 'cut up' into was produced.
halves

various component parts, and thus the intended effect

The
to

earliest application of this principle

naturally would be to divide a
*
'
;

single

wedge

into

its

and

do this in such a way as that a person

at a distance, seeing the graph,

would know what was

intended.

The

series

would then be as follows
(1)

:

»f

=i
relative value, that

This sign occurs in each of the four columns of the
tablet,

and has everywhere the same
e.g., in

value being one moiety of some whole number, generally
that of the one preceding
it
;

Column

II., line 24,

the 'half'

is

that of the immediately preceding total of
III., line

720

sossi.

In Column
ell

19,

the 'half

is

that

of the
is
'

medium

of 240 sossi, to which the whole section
lines

devoted.

In Column IV.,

24 and 29,
sossi,

it

is

one

half ' of the great reed of 1,800
is

to the

growth
of this

of which the whole section

devoted.

As, however,

Assyriologists are in full accord as to the
sign, there
is

meaning

no need to say more about

it.

(2)

1=' third:

;y

=

i.

;cfr

= f.

This character, \, when unassociated with any other, This is in occurs but once on the face of the tablet.

Column

II.,

line 22,

where

its

undisputed appearance

furnishes indubitable evidence and plays a most important

part in the elucidation of the column.

For we have here

128

THE TABERNACLE.

the singular result that while the whole column is based upon a multiplicand of 12 palms (as are the others), and works out by multiplication to a total of reeds (as do the
other columns),

yet

we have

in this
its

single character
(other

a suggestion of a division of

contents

than

the usual) into two parts of one and two reeds.

The

presence of this sign shows that
of but one-third of the whole.

its first division

consisted

Had

this

single figure

been effaced by time, I do not see how the tablet could

have been perfectly reconstructed.

In

all

other parts of the tablet the

^^ is

accompanied by

one or more index figures following
'

thirds

'

were intended.

This

is

show how many indicated by a number
it,

to

of perpendicular wedges,

which

tell

us whether one or two

thirds are to be taken into account.

In Column
thirds,

III., lines

26-30, this system

is still

further

extended, so as to reach the improper fraction of fivethese being the fractions, in
ells,

of which the

medium
Four

reed consisted before

it

reached the second unit.

of these five characters are in the original, one only

requiring to be added by conjecture.

(3)

YtT

=f

This sign occurs but once on the face of the tablet as the equivalent of three-quarters of a whole number. It
is

found in Column

II.,

line 25, as one of a series of pro-

gressive fractions, and being in such good
respectability can hardly be doubted.
Its

company

its

normal con-

struction

is

also in its favour, as it is that of a horizontal

wedge divided

into quarters, three of

which are indicated

TABLET FRACTION
by
as

SIGNS.

129

many

upriglit wedges, the

middle wedge being

taken to be in tbe centre of the prostrate one.
Allied to this character, both in form and significance,
are

two

others.
III.,
it

One

of

these

occurs

repeatedly in

Column
jectures)

where in

lines

12-16 (preceded by two conell.

stands as the sign for the 3-palm
line

In the summary
line 33,
is

of

Column

II.,

sub-column

1,

another instance of the use of a character
to that

similar in appearance
is

under consideration.

It

here taken to signify 'three,' that being the unusual
of reeds into
it

number
It
is

which the whole multiplicand sub-

column above
in

had been multiplied.

not certain that these three characters, so similar
to

meaning

one another,, are exactly identical in shape.

The

three upright wedges in each of

them may have been
five occurrences

slightly differentiated in position, so as to give a distinctive

character to each.

In the case of the

on

Column

III., it
ell

may have
ell,

been intended to convey that

the small

there was three-quarters the length of the
just as the old English ell of

ordinary or

medium

27 inches was three-quarters of a yard. This would then be its name, and no difference of structure would be required, the same sign serving for three-quarters of an
integer and the three-quarter
ell.

(4)

(<.)=i(?JL).
now, unhappily,

The original sign
Its place in

for one-fourth does not

occur in any part of the tablet as an independent character.

Column

II.,

sub-column

6, line

23, where the

130
•

THE TABERNACLE.
'

system

of the tablet

makes

it

imperative,^ has been

irremediably injured and the writing defaced.

On

the principle of analogy and

by acting on the
to
it

rule
all

already suggested as that by which the expression of
the fractions was arrived
character of a horizontal
is

at,

we may give
of
it.

the

wedge

which the fourth part
Its

indicated

by

a

wedge standing above
is

place

should be to the right of the centre.

While, however,

no instance of such figure

to be found, there are slight

indications that the sign for one- quarter,

when used

in

combination with other fractions, was a single perpendicular wedge.

This will be seen in the next paragraph.

(5)

m=i.
II., line 31.

This sign actually occurs only in Column lY., lines 26

and

31,

and conjecturally in Column
and to analyze

These

occasions enable us to determine its value with something
like certainty,
its

form in harmony with
Its

the examples and principles already laid down.
position
of

com-

would seem

to

have been determined by a union
:

two other

fractions, thus
Xi

=h

These being added together will give the fraction of
five- sixths.

1 Its value is determined by the single wedge of one palm in sub-oolunm 1, governed by the multiplier 3, producing J of a small reed. No other fraction

could have been used.

TABLET FRACTION
1tT

SIGNS.

131

(6)

= |.

In

close conjunction

with the sign for three-quarters

will be

found that for seven-eighths, which seems to have
it.

been founded upon

Of

the one-quarter which remained
off,

when

three had been cut

to

make

the former,

it

was

but necessary to halve the remainder to give the desired
result of seven-eighths.

This was accordingly done, but

the additional wedge, instead of being placed beside the
other,

was written above

it,

thus signifying that of the

original whole number, but

one-eighth

was

excluded

instead of one-quarter.

It appears in

Column

II., line 26.

In closing

this part of the subject I

may

say that I

am

quite aware that to some of the above-mentioned characters

other meanings are given by Cuneiform scholars.

I do

not dispute the correctness of their interpretation.

As,

however, most characters of this early language have

more than one meaning, and in some cases a great variety of meanings, I would urge that to those already accepted
the values here given to these signs
this

may be

added.

I do

upon the gi-ound of the homogeneity of the whole document before us, which requires tbat in it these values,
and these only, be read into the six signs which have
already engaged our attention.

"We pass now, by a natural transition, to the consideration
of the remaining characters of the tablet,
i.e.

those other

than figures or arithmetical signs.

These will merit the

132

THE TABERNACLE.
it is

most cautious and enliglitened treatment, as
their evidence that the
tablet rests.

upon,

whole metrological value of the

As with

ourselves a series of ledger accounts

are dependent for the just appreciation of their figures

upon the headings of
and pence,
so here.

their

columns for pounds,
six characters

shillings,

The

now

to

engage
s. d.

our attention correspond,

in their uses,

with the

£

of

commerce

;

and any

error of interpretation, or feature that

may

be overlooked, will vitiate the whole scheme and
it

render

worthless.
to distinguish these six determinatives-of- values

In order
from the
'

signs

'

already dealt with, they are here
this

named

ideographs,
correct.

though

term

is

not perhaps philologically

They

are taken in the order of their supposed

length-values, rising from the lesser to the greater.

(1)

^ ^y =
when

the Sossus (sii-si).

The union

of

these two

characters

is

approved by
:

Mr. Theo. Q. Pinches, LL.D., who writes
characters cannot,
side

'

These two

by

side,

be separated, and

in that case they stand for hand-horn, the

^f meaning

" hand " and the

^f

meaning " horn,"

Avoiding

all

possible controversial matter as to

how

this combination
its

came afterwards

to

be interpreted into

recognized and cognate meaning or meanings, I wish

to confine myself to the sole evidence of the
tablet,

Senkereh

from the

first

column of which we learn that the

fundamental measure of Babylonian metrology was divided
into sixty spaces.

These,

we may

suppose, to have been

TABLET VALUE
marked by notches on
a clay tablet.
It
is

SIGNS.
by

133
cuttings in

a stick or rule, or

not improbable that these notches, or

rather the spaces between them, were originally called
'

horns,'

and as the measure of the hand was the
is

basis of

the system, there

every reason for the application of the

term 'hand-horn' to the length-measure which Berosus
the Chaldean tells us was the original of the Babylonian

system of metrology.
This compound ideograph

^ J^| occurs
sossi

no

less

than

ten times in a perfect state on the tablet, at other times
requiring to be read-in as part of the sub-columns in

which varying numbers
noticeably the case in the

of
first

are

given.

This

is

twelve lines of Column
better

II.,
its

sub-columns 1 and

6.

A

still

example of
lines 1-17,

omission, all the existing figures being authentic,

may
with

be found in Column IV., sub-column
the denominator unexpressed.
llJf

1,

In

this case the twelve

in sub-column 3 are taken to belong to the figures

on their right.

Diagram V. shows

that no

single ideograph has so

many occurrences on the tablet as that for the sossus. This is what should have been expected when its premier
position
is

remembered.

It ought to be no detriment to

this aspect of the case that the ancient artist has sometimes

forgotten to head his sub-columns with the yard or foot
or inch of his day, or, likelier
still,

has failed to find

room
signs

for

it.

The coherency
expressed.

of the whole tablet should be

our sufficient warrant for understanding these governing

when not

134

THE TABERNACLE.
(2)

in

= Tff

of

^^^^^
tlie sosb

The measure next
of three
sossi.

larger in size to

was a measure

It is almost the only
is

length-measure of

the tablet which

not somewhere represented by a single

wedge.

Its only occurrence is in

Column

I.,

sub-column

6,

lines 7-13.

The

interpretation of this character is based

upon the

fact that

Column

I. is

throughout

its

length a table of

equivalents, every item in sub-column 6 being the equation

of the corresponding item in sub-column of constructing
this ideograph,

1.
it

This principle
the meaning of
TfT
8.

Column

I.

carries with
jfy

both the characters

and

appearing

in all their original clearness in lines

7 and

The

special value

and use of a measure of
fact that it

this length

will presently appear in the
sixtieth part of the small
ell.

was the one-

(3)

|y;

=

the

Palm

(gar).

Proceeding in the same direction as hitherto, from
smaller to larger,

hand-breadth.
all

we come As this was

to the

ideograph for palm or
'

the

'

fundamental from which

other measures were derived, either by division or

multiplication, its written sign has
interest for the student.

more than an ordinary
and IV.
is

The character
'

itself

appears in Columns

I.

The

conveational yahie of TIT is tie fraction |.
first

This

arrived at by

assuming that the

upright wedge in
9,

Column

I.,

on

line 14, has 60

constituent parts, of

which

each of the value of 6 parts, are given in
true character for

Section A, sub-column 3.
in
(5), p.

The

f has already been given

130.

TABLET YALUE
In the former
It
it is

SIGNS.

135

shown in every

line of Sections

and D, having been effaced in but one of ten occurrences.
is

here used in conjunction with the various fractions

that constitute the hand-breadth, these rising from half-

a-palm to

2-^

palms.
its

In Column lY. on
eub-column

use

is

slightly diflFerent.

It occurs

lines 2-8, in order to give the value of the figures in
6.

These
of

are, in this

way, shown to be so
therefore
sossi.

many
lines

sixtieths

the

palm, and

In

10-14

it

serves a similar purpose for the figures in

sub-column

4.

Its non-recital

on

line 9 is instructive.
sossi or

That being the
in the

line on which the 60

palm was reached

progression, no characterization was necessary, the single

wedge (representing the completed palm) appearing in Thus does the intentional omission of sub-column 6.
a character here tend to give validity to
its

insertion

both above and below.
misleading.
(4)
(ill or)

Its insertion

would have been

1

= 3-palm Ell = ^y 'L-palm ML ^^y = 5-palm Ell.
3f

These three characters are taken together here, as they not only mutually illustrate each other's construction, but
are found together at the foot of

Column

II.,

where they

occupy a position of isolation on line 33, as indices of the various columns, or summaries of their contents.
'

It

is

mmecesaary to remark that the

fish-tai] is

here the sign of an extra

wedge.

136

THE TABERNACLE.
It will be seen

First, as to their plan of construction.

that the upright

wedge

is

common
and

to
is

them.

This stands

to the left in each character,

the symbol of unity

or completeness.

At
and

right angles to this are, in one case

3,

in another 4,

in another 5 horizontal wedges, these

being the number

of palms of which the several ells respectively consisted.

If these index-characters be compared with those in

the body of the tablet, a slight difference, not of shape,

but of aspect, will be observed in one of them.

The 5-palm ell has a long series of occurrences in Column IV., where its appearance corresponds with that at the foot of Column II. Its use, however, is to accompany the development of the double large ell from its earliest fraction of a single palm to its maximum of nine palms, when it is merged into the third of a great
(a)

reed of 1,800

sossi.

This illustrative use of an ideograph

seems to be a singular one in the whole of the document

we

are examining.

(6)

The 4-palm

ell

does not appear as a 'character' in
of the tablet, though
it is

any part of the body

referred to
6,

by

a series of single wedges in

Column

III.,

sub-column

lines 17-24.

In

this connection a comparison-study of

Sections

B

and C should be found
-

useful.

(c) The 3 palm ell has a fivefold appearance in It is not Column III., sub -column 6, lines 12-16.

a matter of importance that the wedges composing

it,

while bearing the same relation to one another, are placed
at a different angle.
affect the

This

is

not unusual, and does not

value of the character.

TABLET YALIJE
(5)

SIGNS.

137

^ i;>— =

Great Reed {kas-bu)}
is

Dr. Pinches' note on these two characters
'

as follows
side

:

These two characters cannot when

side

by

be

separated,

and

in that case they stand for a well-known

measure of length, " the long road," and, by extension,
for the space of time

known

as a

Babylonian hour (two

of our hours), apparently the period needed to walk the
distance indicated,
i.e.

about 7 miles.'
as

I

give

this

note

containing the Assyriologists'

current view of the interpretation of these associated
characters.

While not presuming
I wish
to

to

attempt to traverse
(beside

these conclusions,
conviction, forced

place

them)

the

upon me by the evidence of the Senkereh
their
earlier

tablet as to

what possibly was
It
is

and more

primitive meaning.

that

^

stands here for the

instrument by which lands or roads were measured.
learn from Ezekiel
(c. b.c.

"We

600),

who wrote

in Babylonia,

that the courts and open spaces about the temple were

measured by a reed of six
line

cubits,

each of which was

a palm-breadth longer than the cubits of the measuring
(Ezekiel
xl.

5

and
this

xlii.

16).

May

it

not have

been that originally

ideograph stood for the reed of

measurement, and was afterwards transferred to the thing

measured

?

I take the ideograph
'

^*—

to

be an adjectival element

Professor Sayee,
is

who

occupies the Chair of Assyriology at Oxford, writes

'

^$
This

the primitive hieroglyph

^x^,

which denotes

sina, or double.

I prefer
is

my

old rendering "double-length" for kas-bu.''

in full accord with

my text.

138
governing
its

THE TABERNACLE.
associated character,
is

and representing that
ells,

the reed intended

one of five-palm

there being five

wedges

in its figure.

Rawlinson's transcription of the Senkereh tablet gives
this ideograph as occurring
i.e.

on ten lines of Column IV.,
it is

throughout Section C, where
also gives it as

obviously in place.

But he
lines of

appearing in the ten corresponding
it is

Column

II.,

where

as obviously out of place,
its

having been, in

all likelihood,

copied as to

exact form

Column lY. The character required in Column II. is one of three wedges, and in Column III., where it has now been
from the
clearer indentation of

wholly

efiaced,

one otfour wedges.
the tablet at
first

To anyone who has examined
overbold, so bad in parts
is its

hand,

these suggested modifications and additions will not appear

present condition.

(6)

ij^

=+

or Plus (ammatu).

This character occurs authentically twenty-five times

on

Rawlinson's

transcription,

and the accompanying
it

reconstruction diagrams

show that
I.

has been efiaeed in

many
it.

other places, in seven of which Rawlinson suggests
is

It

found only in Columns

and

III. as authentic.

Over the meaning
scholars, as
it

of this character earnest consultations

have taken place with one or more eminent Cuneiform
is

upon the

significance

and value of

this

element that previous attempts to interpret and reconstruct
the Senkereh tablet have been based.

That in much Cuneiform writing
has been clearly and fully proved.

^^

means 'cubit'
this

With

knowledge

TABLET ABITHMETICAL
philologists
tablet,

SIGN.

139

have approached the consideration of the and as a result have seen cubits in its first column,

where we have found palms only.

The consequence has
its

been that Lenormant found acres and stadia within
four corners, and Lepsius stadia and parasangs.

The
latter

former gives
12,960,000
'

its

total at

21,600

'lines,'
'

and the

lines:

I find but 10,800

lines; all of

which

are contained within the space of eighteen English feet.

This divergence

is

caused by

my

treating the

document

primarily from a mathematical point of view, and owing
to the fact that I have

no philological prepossessions.
its

Seeing the unity and geometric accuracy of
side,
its

reverse

I

am

encouraged to find similar characteristics in

obverse.

In

so

doing I

am

driven to the conclusion

that whatever other meanings "sfH had, then or at other
times, on the tablet it

means plus, and plus

only.^

Thus understood, '^^ becomes the principal
and enables
it

factor in

the solution of the whole mystery of the Senkereh tablet,
to

be

read

with the

consistency and

coherency of a proposition of Euclid.

From

considerations of space I

must

refer

my

readers,

for the systematized results of the whole re-reading of

the tablet, to the summarized contents of Diagrams V.

and YI. pp. 116, 117.

Attention

is also

called to the

hitherto unmentioned numerical summaries at the foot of

Columns
1

II.

and lY.
*

Professor Sayce allows that in later Assyrian
'

^^

sometimes has the
is

meanings of u or
date
is

and.'

This concession

is

all

that

necessary, as no

claimed for the actual writing of the Senkereh tablet.

140

CHAPTER

II.

THE EESTORATIO:^r OF THE SCALE
OF GUDEA AND ITS COINCIDENCES

WITH THE SENKEREH TABLET.

HAYING
we

gained from the Senkereli tablet the literary
ells

evidence as to the number of

used in Babylonia,

together with that of their relative constituent fractions,
further require some material evidence from the same

field,

and of about the same age, in order

to

produce

a working scheme which shall claim to reproduce the
length-measures of 5,000 years ago.
nature fortunately
lies

Evidence of this

within our reach,

and in the
will lie the

interior co-ordination of these

two factors

proof of the theory
the public in
its

now

for the first time laid before It will be apparent that if as being
size

entirety.

any one measure can be substantiated
to the

common

two documents before

us,

the
it.

of all the

other measures can be derived from

Also, that the

most useful length which could be produced would be
that
of

the

'

fundamental

'

palm.

Its

discovery in

a permanently concrete form would be in itself a most
striking indication that the antique to

which

it

belonged

HISTORY OF THE SCALE OF GFDEA.
was of the same
tablet, in
first place.

141

intellectual dispensation as the

Senkereh

which, as

we have

seen, the

palm takes the
affinities

These two discovered 'palms,' being placed
should show such fractional
as will
to

side

by
'

side,

and

identic

subdivisions

enable the archaeologist to

say

:

These

may belong

one civilization and to the

same system of Metrology.'
case

Such

is

the nature of the

now

to be laid before the public,

and

it

is

upon

these lines that the evidence will move.

In considering

it readers will not lose sight of the fact that the

new

witness
failed to

is

a very ancient one, and that
its

Time has not

show

ravages here, as

it

has done on the

face of its fellow-witness

from Senkereh.

In 1881 M. de Sarzec undertook a series of excavations for the French Government^ in one of the tells
of

Babylonia, not far from Senkereh.
site of

This has since

proved to be the

the ancient city of Lagash or

Lagas, the ruins of which are 130 miles south-east of

Babylon.
1

It

is

now known

as the village of Telloh.

'

What

Basra, bring

should a French explorer, Mr. E. de Sarzec, French conaul in home but nine magnificent statues made of a dark, nearly black

stone as hard as granite, called diorite.
but, as though to

Unfortunately they are aU headless

;

head was found separate, a shaved and tuxbanned head beautifully preserved and of remarkable workmanship, the very pattern of the turban being plain enough to be reproduced
for this mutilation, one

make up

The title of patesi (not king) adopted by by any modem loom Gudea points to great antiquity, and he is generally understood to have lived somewhere between 4000 and 3000 b.c. That he was not a Semite but an
Accadian prince is to be concluded from the language of the inscriptions and Eagozin's Ghaldea, the writiiig, which is of the most archaic character.' 3rd edition, pp. 92, 214.

—

143

THE TABERNACLE.

SCALE OF GUDEA.

143

Z
02

=
-^§.

^=

I
.0
-ro

I
I

I !

^^

5*1

I
c

-5a

•J

12
I

I

OS

i
I
u
(^

-K,*S.

3-W

ue

OQ
<8

144
Buried in
tlie

THE TABERNACLE.
courtyard of an archaic palace at Telloli,

M. de Sarzec found eight headless statues of diorite. These are now in the Louvre Museum, a cast of one having
been presented
(No. 91,025).
to

the Trustees of the British

Museum
b.c.

Its notice-card bears the date of

2500.

This piece of engraved statuaiy represents King Gadea
as a worshipper, in the act of dedicating his palace to the

care of

some

deity.

His hands are folded in the attitude

of prayer, and on his knees lies a slab of stone.
slab

On

this

there

is

engraved the ground-plan of a building
earlier erection

which was evidently of
palace, the walls

than that of the
still exist.

and courtyard of which

Both

these palaces stood

upon the same

site,

and have a general
details.

likeness of plan to one another.

On

the slab, besides the

ground-plan, are engraved two
these
is

other

One

of

a graving

tool,

which has no message

for us, apart

from the

fact that it is similar in every respect to tools in

use to-day.

The other is a record of the measure, or one of the measures, by which the palace was built. It is this
feature of the slab which
is

now

to claim our attention.

The

rule

—known as

the rule of

Gudea

—

is

in the form of

a double line cut near the outer edge of the slab.
are a

In

it

number

of indentations or cuts,

which give
It
is to

to the

rule its unique value and importance.

the great

loss of ourselves that parts of this rule are missing, the

two corners of the

slab, i.e. those farthest

away from

the

king's body, having been broken off and

lost.

Many attempts have been made to restore, by conjecture,
these broken-off portions,

and thus

to complete the rule.

LENGTH OF THE SCALE.
but none of these has met with general acceptance.
first

145

The

was made by the
restored

discoverer,

who

gives to the slab

a total length of 29 centimetres, and to the graduated
scale, as

by him,

a length of

27 centimetres^

= 10'6301133
to the rule

British inches.

Professor

Hommel
says,

gives

an original length of 249 millimetres,^ or
Professor Paul

9'80332671 inches.

Haupt

'

The
is

graduated portion of the rule of Gudea, on statue B,
is

10^ inches, while the entire length of the rule

lOf inches.' These varying lengths would seem to have been arrived
at

by reading the cuttings of the
is

rule from the left-hand
it

side of the figure.

Also, I have not seen

remarked that

the slab itself

not rectangular.

An

original measure of the slab at the edge nearest

to the king's

body gives

11-^ inches as the length.

If the

existing lines on either side be produced, they will

show

a contraction of two-fifths of an inch in the length of the
slab.

It
is

is

at this point that the

first,

or inner, line of the

rule

met.
rule itself
is

The
rule

to

be credited with corners which were
the measure which

right angles.

We

thus arrive at the conclusion that the

was

104- inches in length.

This

is

Dr. Oppert gives as the result of the measurement of the
walls of Khorsabad.
is

His words

are,

'

The Assyrian span

therefore exactly 104 inches.'
series, vol. xi,

See Records of the Fast,

new
1

for 1878, pp. 22-23.

Beeomertes in ChaUee, by E. de Sarzec, 1884-1889, plate 15.
Babylonia, Hastings' Dictionary of Bible, vol.
vol. of the
is
i.

* Article s

p. 218.

EzeMel

on statue

E

Polychrome Bible, p. 180, note. The rule of Gudea bere said to be a line measure and not an end measure.

146

THE TABERNACLE.
2.

Having,

witli

Oppert's support,

arrived at the

first

result in the length of 10'8 inches,

we have further to see
it,

what were the

interior divisions of this space, as denoted
still

by the
It
is

cuttings which

remain on

many

others

having doubtless been

effaced.

at this point that I part

company with

my

pre-

decessors in the attempt to solve these difficulties.

The But
at

length I give to the rule
of the

differs

but slightly from that
to
it.

French savant who

first

gave attention

in the matter of
end.
h

its interior

economy /

begin at the other

The data
c

of

De

Sarzec and

Hommel

are

shown

and
It

on the accompanying drawing.
h,

Mine may be seen

at a, where, as at
is

are opposite cuts in the rule (p. 143, B).

these opposite cuts that,

by the plan herein adopted

for determining the original length of the rule,
'

mark

its

third,' there
is

being to their
If,

left twice the distance that

there

to their right.

however, the same distance
rule,

of 3 6 inches be measured
it will

from the other end of the

be seen that there are no double cuts at the 120th

soss,

thus showing that the rule did not consist of three
of which one was

equal spaces, but of two divisions,

double the length of the other.

This fact will have an

important bearing upon

its

analysis

and reconstruction,

now
the

to be entered upon.

(a)
'

The
line,'

smallest measure of the Senkereh tablet

is

three of which

went

to each soss.

The same
case

relation

is

given in the Gudea Scale, though the process
naturally
differs.

of

development

In

this

the

CUTTINGS ON THE SCALE.

147

exposition begins on the front edge of the rule, and at
its

right side.

Here we

find the remains of seven cuts,

which once
side, these

stood opposite the same
latter still existing.

number on the inner

In each case these seven cuts on
two
on the inner side were
side,

either side enclosed six spaces, each of the width of
Bossi.

The
and

six spaces

(as

now)
partly-

clear

distinct.

Those on the outer

now

defaced, were the scene of the demonstration.
effected

This was

by leaving every other space

vacant,^
2,

and by
3,

dividing the three intermediate spaces into

and

6^
2

divisions.

These were the consecutive fractions of

—soss
soss.

spaces

— showing

the widths of 1 soss and

f and

^

Few

traces of these

minute subdivisions, though
to withstand

engraven in the rock, could be expected
the disintegrations of millenniums of years.

But enough

remains to show

how

the system was developed
in.

— the

'system' being that familiar to us
the Senkereh tablet, as

the columns of

we

shall see.

3.

It has already been

shown that the
and larger
'

first

column of the
It has been

Senkereh tablet

is

devoted to an explication of the palm
relations.

in its various fractions

already suggested that the

third

'

of the Scale of Gudea,

marked

as

division

I,

is

an embodiment of the same

fundamental measure.
1 Povir only are another.

There should then be discoverable
to their nearness to

shown on the drawing, owing

one

148

THE TABERNACLE.
some of
is

in this the same, or

tlie

same, fractions as

we have

found in
{b)

that.
first

Nor

this expectation disappointed.

The

division of the
to its width.^

palm was
It
is

into digits, of

which three went

one of the vexations

of the case that the space given to the digit on the slab of

Gudea has been torn away by one-half its
contained in the

length.

It

was

right-hand corner of the rule, there

being nothing

else

with which to

fill

up the space between
This space, 'A,'
is

the enclosing line and the
exactly that of 20
sossi,

first cut.

and may justly bo taken aS
digit.

having been meant to show the length of the
(c)

Next

to the width of the digit

on the scale come

three spaces

marked B,

0,

and D.

Of

these

C forms

a

blank between the other two
seen used in the case of the
'

—

a device

we have

already

line.'

B

and

D are composed

of double-sossi, the one containing six

and the other ^ve

Buch parts, their values being respectively one-fifth and
one-sixth of a palm.
sossi

These two spaces of ten and twelve
of the slab, like that of the

show that the system

tablet, is

both decimal and duodecimal.

This will be seen
as establishing the

to be a point of cardinal importance,

relationship of the two witnesses;

the variation in the

mode

of exhibition (one showing 5's

and

6*8,

and the same

other lO's and 12's) being an additional point in their
favour, as being the
in system

work

of

two men,

essentially the

and yet

differing in the

mode
who

of presentation.

*

On

the authority of Herodotus
'

(I. 178),

says that the difference
digits.

between the

royal

'

and another Babylonian cubit waa three

PALM OF THE
4.

SCALE.

149

Having ahovra. some pointa of harmony between the palm of the tablet, in its first column, and that of the Gudean scale in its first division, it is now advisable to see
* '

if

similar coincidences do, or do not, exhibit themselves in

the remaining portions of these two independent witnesses.

In making these investigations, it is of importance to remember that the Scale of Gudea does not consist of three
separate and clearly defined palm-lengths.

As

there

is

no double cutting opposite
division

to the

120th

soss, it is

evident

that division I. was of the length of a single

palm and

IL

of the length of
at

two palms.

Looking
in

De

Sarzec's reproduction of the cuttings

found in the maimed rule (none of which are disputed

my
its

transcript), it is not difficult to see

what was

its

plan of construction.

In order

to do this, the cuttings
left

on
i.e.

inner line must
left of

now

be read from

to

right,

from the

the royal figure.
single,

These
mediate

cuts,

when not
spaces,

show that with
there

interfive

blank

as

elsewhere,

were

detailed spaces given, containing respectively 2, 3, 4, 5,

and 6

interior

divisions.^

The conjectural

restoration

of the scale, adhering to these distances in detail 0,

shows that their contents were as follows:
*

These several distances being plainly marked on the original

rule, it will

be found to be not impossible to subject them to a personal scrutiny, and
thus to arrive at the length of the iossvs.

The

evidence to be derived from

this source is a strong proof of the correctness of the whole, as this test will

not stand had there been either more or fewer than 180 sossi in 10'8 inches.

The

differences

between these spaces

is

that of a single sossus between one

and another.

150
(1)

THE TABERNACLE.
Subdivision K, 2 spaces of 5 sossi each.

(2)
(3) (4)

„

H,3
F, 4

„ „ „

4
3

„ „
„

„ „
jj

D,5
B, 6

2 2

„

„

The
'line.'

last of these,

B, has already been dealt with on

a previous page, in illustration of the sossus and the

This removes
here,
as,

it

from the necessity of further
the
fact

remark
to
Its

beyond

that
it

it

is

in

the

progression 2-6 spaces, al»ove stated,
the series of exhibits
contents
of two
-

does not belong
attention.

now engaging our
spaces
is

soss

in

favour of this

separation, as these spaces

had already been delimited

in subdivision D.

Taking the four subdivisions
minutiae of

D-K,

together with the
will

B

as previously explained,

it

be seen that

they cover the whole ground of the units of measurement,
as well as of their fractions of

\ and

f.

With

this scale

before him, any

workman

of ordinary intelligence could

derive from

it

instruction as to any of the 30 lengths
sossi,

which are contained within the width of 10
to

equal

^

of

an

inch.

It

is

probable that these fine gradations
necessary for the

of measurement were

engraving of

precious stones and of seals, of which
large

we know

that

numbers
there.

were

used

in

Babylonia, the
of

British

Museum
from

alone having a collection

many hundreds

A

comparison of details of the major A, B, and C, on
left of his

the accompanying plan, wiU. show that to the

THE SEXAGESIMAL SYSTEM.

151

datum at b, M. de Sarzec could not Lave found more than two or three of the five spaces recorded in his full-length
rule,

inasmuch as the slab

is

here broken away.

I am,
five

howeyer, inclined to think that his suggestion of
equal spaces to the
that
left of b is correct,

and have marked

number

in

my

conjectural restoration.
sossi,

To

these

spaces I give a uniform width of 10
separated,

and find them

by subdivision L, from the
is
is

sixth tenth, which,

on the right,

repeatedly cut up into units, as

we have seen.
rule,

This separation-device

everywhere apparent in the
complete decades of

and was necessary

to prevent

overcrowding and obscurity.
sossi,

That there should be
units,

five

and that a sixth decade should be divided
is

into its elemental

harmony with the Babylonian system of notation. The statement of Berosus already quoted, that the Babylonians made use of a decimal notation, is not
in
to

be understood in the sense of their having used
;

hundreds and thousands but, rather, that the sexagesimal
system was commonly divided into 6 decades of 10 each.

To

this the

whole reading of the scheme of the Senkereh
witness.

tablet bears

On

its

reverse

face

are

about

100 examples in which totals are worked
result being 27,000.

out, the highest
sixties,

All these are given in
tablet,

or

in sixties -of- sixties.

which

is

In another transcribed on the same
tablet,
'

a portion of

plate as Rawlinson's
is

reading of the Senkereh

a single upright wedge —

3,600

indicated

by

^being

60 X 60.

So immutable

was the system of
1

sixties

As

is also

done in the character immediately preceding the colophon of

the Senkereh tablet.

152
It
is,

THE TABEENACLE.
therefore requisite that the systems, both of
tlie

obverse of the tablet

and that of the Gudean

scale,

should

not transgress this cardinal rule in crucial cases, either

by overstepping
of
it,

it

in larger

it

in lesser numbers.

Nor do

numbers or by falling short they. Each conforms to

and tbe

fact that th.e second division of the

Gudean
primary

scale exhibits five decades in full,
units,

and a sixth decade in
fulfils

shows

how completely

it

this

condition of acceptance.

5.

Upon

the general agreement of the

Gudea Scale with

the Senkereh tablet the whole case for the Metrology of
ancient Babylonia here rests.
If,

however,

we compare
fractions,

the 3-palm length of the Gudea Scale with the 3- palm
ell

of

the tablet,

as

to

their

respective

an
its

accidental illegibility of the tablet in this portion of

obverse will deprive our conclusions of
force.

much

of their

Two
II.,

of

the

original

characters

alone remain

(Column

lines 6-7),

each of which requires some
into the system.

addition to

its

value to

fit it

The

first

twelve lines of the column, however, are a silent witness
to the fact that they once bore as

many

fractions of the

single palm,

and that these twelve

relative constituents

palm were also those of the Short Ell, the nexus between the two being the unexpressed multiplier 3.
of the

A

hitherto

little

noticed peculiarity of

Column

II. is

the fact that
Sections

it

contained a twofold set of measures.

In
in

A

and

B

4 palms are worked out

—partly

APPLICATION OF THE SCALE.
smaller palm-fractions and partly in digits
of four small
ells.

153

—

to a length

Tlie nine

digits

alone

remain as

evidences of this operation
Section
C,

—but

they are enough.

In
are

which

is

in

much more
is

perfect condition,

a fresh set of measures

evolved.

Here 8 palms

worked out into two small reeds
multiplier of this column.

—3 being throughout the
II.,

In

this \m^u8ual

way two

uniformities are maintained.

One
III.,

is

that the

first

sub-column in each of Columns

and IV.

shall consist of

12 palms.

The

other, that

the total exhibited in the sixth sub-column of each of the

columns shall be 2

reeds.

It follows that the reeds of

Column II. consisted of 4 ells, and those of Columns III. and IV. of 6 ells each. So radical a dislocation of the system could only have been caused by some sufficient reason, and have been redeemed by some well-known application of these earlier measures. My own suggestion
is

that

A

and

B

were goldsmith's or jeweller's measures,
is

a suggestion which

supported by evidence that

lies

outside the scope of this chapter.

This supposed exceptional use of the short
to the upper portion of the column.

ell is

limited

The

third section,

C, takes its place as giving the fractions oT the double

small reed, which

may have had

another use.

It will be

remembered that a reference has already been given to the fact that the walls of Khorsabad were measured
in
'

spans,' the length of each being that of a small

eU

(=10-8 inches). Though of a foot happens to be the actual length of the Gudean scale, we are not at liberty to limit its

^

154

THE TABERNACLE.
Its design, as

use to this length.

composed of a single

and a double palm-length
the length of an 5 palms
ell of

—each

clearly separated

from
it

the other,— would enable any

workman

to derive from
foot)

4 palms

(= yf

and one of

(= x^
it

foot).

It was not necessary to elaborate

these in the small space at the disposal of the sculptor,

nor was

possible.
'

The

'

palm

being fundamental in both records before Table will show
its

us, the following

fractions as

drawn

from the rule of Gudea.

BABYLONIAN LENGTH-MEASTJRES.
This conclusion

155
fit

may

prove to be a key which will
to

the

wards of many

locks,

and may give entrance
is

new

fields

of investigation, for " science

measurement."

Taking the human hand
of an English foot,

as having an average,

and

agreed-upon, width of one-tenth of a yard or three-tenths

we have

in the sixth diagram of the

series (p. 117) a complete metrological

system which begins
indefinite extension

at one-fiftieth of an inch

and admits of

and application.

As

the experiment of inductive metrology

has hitherto failed to lead to one definite standard of

measurement for Accadian and Semitic antiquity, the
subject of comparative metrology

may

possibly find in this

study a solution of some hitherto unexplained variations.

SUMMAET or BA-BTLONIAN LENGTH- ME ASTJEES.
I.

As

derived from the Senkereh Tablet

and

the

Gudean

Scale,

(For fractions of the palm, see

finte.)

156

THE TABERNACLE.
II.

Ai

derived from the

Khorsabad Tablet}

PAET

III.

THE TRIPLE CUBIT OF BABYLONIA
AS USED IN THE

COl^STRUCTIOIi OF

THE TABERI^ACLE.

159

CHAPTER

I.

THE

ADJUI!^CTS

AND ACCESSORIES
make

OE THE taber:n^acle.
1

MOMENT'S
it

consideration of the subject will

-^

obvious that before the drawing of any plan or
a given specification
of
it is

map from
upon a

necessary to decide

scale

measurement

to

which such drawing

shall conform.

If a single length-measure shall have been employed
in the paraphrase of

any

specification, it will not greatly
is.

matter what the adopted scale

The

final result will
•

present the same appearance, whether to a

foot

'

be

given a length of ten or twelve or fourteen inches.

But

there will always remain the underlying disadvantage of
its

not being

known what was
In a plan

the actual size of the

building specified.
of
its

so

produced the relation
correct, but it will
size

parts one to another

may be

be impossible to say what relation in

the whole

would have
This
is

to

any existing building.
finds

the condition in which the opening of the

twentieth

century

the

question
the
in

of

the

sacred

buildings of the Jews.

All

given measurements
Scripture are stated

and descriptions of buildings

160
in
'

THE TABERNACLE.
cubits,'

and the

length, of the cubit has not

been
it

determined.
sixteen inches

One well-known
;

metrologist gives

as

another, equally well known, as eighteen
still

inches

;

while a third, of

higher reputation, gives

his verdict in favour of twenty inches.

Not

only,

therefore,

is

there uncertainty as to the

actual size of the Tabernacle

and the Temples, but the
It has

plans and models of these erections have been uniformly

and necessarily inconsistent within themselves.
they are written.

been found impossible to carry out the specifications as

The

difficulties

encountered in working

out and harmonizing the details have

been found to

be insurmountable, and various compromises have been
adopted.

These have been adopted, not from any want
fact that one of the

of scholarship or of patient skill in the treatment, but

from the

main
left

features of the case

has hitherto been

unknown and

out of view.

The reason

for these repeated failures

wiU presently

appear in the thesis that no single cubit -length could
possibly succeed in reproducing a structural idea,

when

three such lengths were employed in
description.
Till this fact has

its

inception and

been discovered and acted

upon,

all

attempts at the reconstruction, on paper or in

models, of the buildings of the Bible are of necessity

foredoomed to error and

failure.

It is in this condition of haziness that the absorbing
topic of Jehovah's

House through thirteen centuries

lies

;

when
of

a discovery has been

made which

is

calculated to

revolutionize the conception of both savant

and

saint,

Jew and

Christian.

THE BIBLICAL CUBIT ANNOUNCED.
That discovery day use
in
is

161

that, about a

thousand years before

the birth of Abraham, there were in

common and
'

every-

Mesopotamia three

'

ells

or

cubit-lengths,

each of which was applied in a

specific

and separate

department of trade and human

interest.

The

details

and proofs of

this

discovery were com-

municated

to the

members

of the

Royal Asiatic Society
corrections,

in December, 1902,^

and are published, with

as Part II of this volume.

The

conclusions arrived at

had previously been anof

nounced in the Quarterly Statement

the

Palestine

Exploration Society for January, 1902, in
'

the

words

There were three cubits of the respective lengths of
-}-f,

-f^,

and

-ff of

an English

foot, the first of

which was

used exclusively for gold and gold-tapestry work, the
second for building purposes, and the third for measuring
areas only.'
^

has been spent in Palestine, teUa me, under date 29tk February, 1904, that about fifty years ago there were actually three different cubits or dira '
life

(arm) in ordinary use in Palestine.
(1)

cubit), which was used for (= the manufactured in Egypt, and is equal to 22f inches. (2) The dirad JstambouH, or cubit of Constantinople, which was used for measuring European cloth, etc., and is about 26^ inches.

The dirad

baladi
etc.,

Theywere common Egyptian

measuring linen,

(3)

The land

dirad, used in connection with land measurement,

is

equal to

30 inches.

The

difference

between these lengths

is

approximately one of 3"6 inohss.

162

THE TABERNACLE.
way
to clearer light,

hitherto barred the
in these studies
it

and

as

we proceed

will be found to open the door of

almost every architectural Bible difficulty, from the days
of Moses to those of Josephus.

2.

The suggestion has already been made public

that

when Abraham left the land of Mesopotamia he may have taken with him the standard length-measures of his
country.

This suggestion assumes an air of strong probability

when we
the

find, as

we

shall do, that

on leaving Egypt,
Babylonian

and without any reference

to the land of their fathers,

Hebrews
'

in

the wilderness used the

measures for the erection of the Tabernacle.

The pattern was showed
'

to

Moses

in the

Mount, and

the record of that revelation, as contained in the book
of Exodus, makes no reference to a diversity in the length
of the cubit.

These differences in the meaning of the
'

word

'

cubit

were treated as matters of common and
It is as if in our

every-day knowledge.

own day

public

tenders were called for certain artistic metal-work, in

which

so

many

ounces of gold and silver and so

many

ounces of brass and lead were to be used.

Neither of

the parties to such a transaction would require to be told,
or be expected to record, that the
'

ounce
'

'

of the former
'

was

to be

one of 480 grains and the

ounce

of the latter

of 437^ grains.

Such a

distinction

would be a matter

of ordinary knowledge to each party, and the fact itself

would, by

common

custom, be placed beyond the possibility

of dispute.

'CUBITS' OF THREE LENGTHS.
This hypothetical illustration

163

may

enable us to under-

stand how, in the instructions given to Moses for the
creation of a

new

Tabernacle,

there was no reference

made

to the various lengths of the cubit.
to the length

None such
cubit,

was given as

of the

single

sup-

posing but one to have been used; and none such was

given as to the length of any other cubit, or cubits,
that

may have been

requisite to

the

carrying out of

the work.

The books

of the Bible are

each of them severely

compressed, and facts obvious to us, or to those to

whom

they were at the

first

given, are seldom stated.

We

thus have an experimental right to assume that the
early metric system of
to us,

Western Asia, hitherto unknown
to

was perfectly familiar

Moses and in common

use amongst the early

Hebrew

people.

These measures, from their use in the construction of
the Tabernacle, soon assumed a sacred character, and,
as

we proceed adown we

the stream of time,

and pause

from time to time to survey the erection of this Temple
or of that,
shall find that they

remained unchanged
Ufe.

during the thirteen centuries of Hebrew national

3.

Having

laid

the

foundation

of

our

subject

in

a

far-ofi"

antiquity,

the evidence on

its

behalf

going

back to a period of from twenty-five to thirty centuries before Christ, we may now proceed to build upon it
those divinely-ordered erections around which the heart
of Judaism, Moslemism,

and Christianity have entwined

the most tender and sacred associations.

164

THE TABERNACLE.
these erections, in
tlie

Of

first

in order

of time is the

Tabernacle

the

wilderness,
b.c.^

the date of

which

is,

approximately, 1280

In the endeavour
faithful to
all

to architecturally restore the details

of this earliest of all the Houses of God,

we
the

shall be

the

conditions

laid

upon
and

us by the

testimony
Scale

of

the

Senkereh
themselves

Tablet

Gudean

— witnesses
of

dating from a period as

long antecedent to the Tabernacle as that was to the
Christian Era.
It
is

not to be supposed that in the

infancy

history

and in the morning-lands of the

Bible

men were

careless or inexact in

what concerned

their religious faith.

All the evidence of the inscriptions

goes to show that the religious faculty of the
living played a
life

men then
of
all

more important part in the business
Least of
of

than
be

it

does amongst ourselves. the
stock of

can

this

supposed

Abraham.

Their
intense.
lives

conservatism

of what

had already been was
ritual

A

minute and particular

governed the

of

the best

men

of the nation.

The House

of Jehovah,

whether Tabernacle or Temple, was the centre of the
nation's

thought and feeling, and any development or

reconstruction there was a matter of the most reverent

and

punctilious
to

consideration.

Believing the pattern

showed

Moses in the Mount, and the description
to Solomon, to

handed by David
'

have been God-given

tte Old Testament Scriptures

Matters of olironology and of the date of the composition of portions of lie beyond the range of these pages, though

the very practical nature of these material reconstructions has an important

bearing on the historical character of the whole narratiye,

But

see p. 101.

HEBREW CONSERVATISM.
and revealed, the
either of
possible.

165

priests did not dare to alter or

amend

them

in.

any particular in which escape was

It is in the force of this sentiment of tradition

that

we now

find our strongest ally in the endeavour

to trace the evolution of the

Herodian Temple from

its

prototype of the Tabernacle.

SCALE
USED IN THE ACCOMPAJTnNG DEAWING OF THE TABERNACLE
(WitkdetaiU).

1

Cubit used in the plotting of the Tabernacle Court,

1 ft.

6 ins.

2.

Cubit used in the erection of the Tabernacle and Tent,

U
3.

feet.

Cubit used in the making of the gold-embroidered Veil and
the ten Curtaiiis, 10'8 inches.

Hi <l 'A

o A H n <
n H O
(4

O
P

D O

o w o H n

w
El

SIZE

OF THE TABERNACLE COURT.
The Coukt of the Tabernacle.

167

1.

The books
stood.

attributed to Moses uniformly speak, in the
'

singular number, of

the court

'

in

which the Tabernacle
is,

This form of phraseology

of course, perfectly

correct, as the idea of the unity

and equal sanctity of the

whole enclosed area was thus kept prominently before
the mind.

As

a matter of fact, however, the enclosure

followed the precedent of Egyptian temples, in which
there

were two square areas, the temple

itself

being

situated in the rearmost of the two.

In the delimitation
another

of the Tabernacle courts or squares,

they were placed as lying to the east and west of one
;

and each of the areas measured
its

fifty cubits

on

each of

four sides.

It

is

apparent that a cubit of

18 inches, as the measure of distance, applied to the text
of

Exodus
In

xxvii. 9-18, will give us

an enclosed space of

75

feet in width,

by 150

feet in length.
first

this postulate

we have the
view,

positive result of the

recovery of the surveyor's cubit.

Here
the

is

a conclusion
of

which brings
fact

into

from

uncertainties

speculation, the first concrete result of a well-ascertained
of

metrological
*

lore.

The

importance
'

of

this

deliverance from the

might-have-been

will

grow upon

us as we proceed, and
of
its

it

will culminate in the demonstration

correctness

when we come

to deal with the area

upon which stood the Temple of Herod. Till then I must ask my readers to hold their final judgment in suspense,

and

to allow the
on.

evidence on

its

behalf to gather as

we go

168
Notv,

THE TABERNACLE.
we may regard
its trial.

this application of a

Babyloman
was not

length-measure to a problem of Hebrew architecture as

being on
empirical.

Then

it

will be seen that it

of these

To this Q.E.D. a study of the whole series maps and plans is the necessary preliminary.
^

A

uniform width of

fifty

large cubits, with a

common
half-

length of one hundred such cubits given to the court of
the Tabernacle,
yards.
is

easy to remember as so

many

A

square of 25 yards was thus the size of each of

the two rectangles in which, for nearly three centuries,
the worship of Jehovah was solemnized.

Are any
There

traces

of such

an area

still

to be

found

?

is still visible at

SeiMn, the ancient Shiloh, a level

platform, which, in places, has been cut into the rock to

the depth of 5 feet.

The width of
feet required
itself,

this platform, lying

on the gentle
coincidence

rise

which leads

to the village, is

77

feet, as

compared with the 75
is

by the
it is

scale.

This

remarkable in

and
is

not weakened

by

the fact that the platform itself

412

feet in length,

as against the requirement of 160 feet.

For the added
readers to the

length of about 250 feet I must refer
section of this chapter on the East
it

my

Gate

(pp. 175-8), in which

will be seen that such

an additional space was required.
his

Jeremiah sent the men of

day

to Shiloh to see

what

God

did to

it

for the wickedness of Israel (vii. 12).

To

the same desolate spot

we may appeal

for a portion of the

(a)

The author has in preparation volumes similar to this, dealing with Solomon's Temple; (*) Ezekiel's Temple; (c) Herod's Temple; in all of which the same set of measures will he used, with the same local
>

applications.

TABERNACLE COURT ENCLOSURE.
evidence as to the size of the Tabernacle and
its

169

courts.

Such evidence

will be still

more complete when we know
It should

the bearings of the platform longitudinally.
lie,

as nearly as the science of that

day allowed, in the
it

direction of east to west.^
is

Some

future traveller will,

hoped, enlighten us as to this point, and also as to

whether the slope of the ground on the upper side affords

any indication
2.

of an approach to the

North Gate.

The Enclosure and Hangings op the Tabernacle
Court.

Having
75
to enclose

levelled a space of

ground 150

feet long

by

feet wide, the
it,

next care of the Jewish priests would be be seen in the Book of Exodus, where

in accordance with, the directions given to

Moses.

These

may

we have in chapters xxvi. and xxvii. the incipient account
or specification, and in chapters xxxvi. to
xl.

the history

of the erection.

No

further reference will be

made

to

these chapters in these pages, every reader having
at hand,

them

and

being supposed to be, or to become, familiar

with a subject contained in so narrow a literary space.

No
and

liberties will be

taken with the text in this

little

book.

Anyone who

will

take a sheet of paper and pencil
of the sixty pillars on

will sketch out the places

which the curtaining was hung^ twenty on each north and south side, and ten on each west and east will find

—

—

*

See Introduction,

p. xiii.

In doing this, the direction of Exodus xxvii. 14-16 should be home in mind, that there were three lengths of curtaining on either side of the East Gate opening. These would require the support of four pillars on each tide, the comer pOlars heing counted to the sides.
*

170

THE TABERNACLE.
larger sides will give but nineteen spaces

himself confronted with this diflBculty, that twenty pillars

on each of

its

instead of the twenty requisite, the pillars being placed
at distances of five large

cubits

apart, reckoning

from

centre to centre.

Not only must the
size

cubits here used

have corresponded in
there must have been

with those of the area, but

some special arrangement made by which, while the spirit of the instruction was obeyed, the letter of its numbers should not be broken. The solution of this diflBculty may be seen in the
detail drawing, opposite, of the Tabernacle court,

where

the pillars are numbered to facilitate reference.
Several results follow from the

adopted method by

which
text.

this

drawing
of

is

brought into harmony with the
is

Each
to

these

thought

to

be

of

sufficient

importance
are

merit separate mention, inasmuch as
a-

we
of

dealing

with

portable
effect

erection,

the details

which had a dominating

upon subsequent

structures,
this,

which were not portable, though evolved from
designed to serve the same specific purpose.

and

Any

feature

of the Tabernacle,

however seemingly

unimportant,

may have been

developed and enlarged in
its

subsequent Temples, and, unless we can trace

germ
its

in the Tabernacle, will remain unaccounted for,

and

significance be undiscovered.

It is for this reason that
is

the reader's thoughtful attention
three sections that follow.

asked to the two or

The North Gate.

An

examination of the adjoining plan will show that,

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f2

Outline Plan of the Outer Court and Tabernacle.

172

THE TABERNACLE.
around the court
This
is

as there arranged, the sixty pillars

left

a vacancy of one in the

circuit.

not directly
of

referred to in the text of Exodus.

The mathematics

the case, specially the

placing

of

the pillars of the

East Gate outside the alignment of the court, demand that
at one point in the perimeter there should be a hiatus of

15 feet in the curtaining, caused by the inability to
use a sixty-first pillar.

been given as
of Leviticus

The place of this hiatus has between the tenth and eleventh pillars on
altar, in

the north side of the
i.

obedience to the direction

11, that sacrifices
^

were

to

be slain 'on

the side of the altar northward.'

This was, therefore, the side which would be most
convenient for the admission of animals to the court
itself.

The worshippers, other than

sacrificers,

entered

the court at the east gate.

Those who brought living
the

animals entered, with

them, through

north

gate,

and each
slew
it

saorificer

standing beside his

oflFering,

there

before the Lord, and then took his place beside

the altar amid the other worshippers.

That

this

remained

the highest act of temple worship

till

the days of Christ,

we know from His words
*

in the

Sermon on the Mount

This definition of place -would seem to have been thus vague with
as
it

intention,

permitted of the sacrifices being offered either within or

without the enclosure of the Tabernacle.

In the vision of Ezekiel's Temple

the larger sacrifices were to be killed without the wall, and the smaller, as

lambs and goats, within the gate (Ezekiel xl. 39, 40). This was in harmony with the law of Leviticus iii., which states that offerings of the herd (i.e. cattle) were to be killed at the door of the tent of meeting (verse 2), and that sacrifices of the flock (i.e. sheep and goats) were to be kUled before the tent of meeting (verses 8, 13). That a distinction in place was intended must be evident from the change in the terminology.

THE GATE OF SACEIFICE.
(whicli,
like
all

173

other citations, are here taken from
'

the Revised Version),

If,

therefore,

thou art offering

thy gift at the

altar,

and there rememberest that thy

brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift
before the altar, and go thy
to

way

;

first

be reconciled
gift.'

thy brother, and then come and

offer

thy

The north gate of sacrifice is generally spoken of under the name of the door of the tent of meeting.' Both it and its 'screen' are referred to in Numbers iii. 26, as
'

explained in chapter 1 of the history of the Tabernacle
(pp. 4, 177).

It continued to bear this

name

until after

the

restoration

from

Babylon,

Zechariah,

the son of

Meshelemiah, having been appointed, in David's time,

'Northward'
he

(1

Chron. xxvi. 14).
1

In re-recording
ix.

this

arrangement the writer of
'

Chron.

21 writes that

was a porter of

the door of the tent of meeting.'

The Okigin of the

Soreg oe Fence.
learned
all
is

We

have not

yet, however,

the lessons

which the discovery of teaching. Placed where
two squares (soon
to

this north
it
is,

gate

capable of

at

the junction of the
courts), it afforded

become separate

entrance not only to the sacrificing laymen of the Jewish

Church, but also to
the end of the

its priests.

From
Temple

the beginning to

sacrificial dispensation the priests

had their

own
1

separate entrance into the

courts.

The

laity

being forbidden to set foot within the inner square,^ there
The supplementary
rule
is

by

whicli the laity were excluded from the imier

court of the sanctuary
Israel shall not

given in the words, 'Henceforth the children of
to the tent of meeting, lest they bear sin,

come nigh

and die

(Numbers

xyiii. 22).

174
can be
little

THE TABERNACLE.
doubt but tbat they were (when sacrificing)

given admission to the outer square by the eastern half
of the entrance- way on the north.

At

this point

comes into view, not
far-oflf centuries,

clearly,

but dimly
inception

through the haze of

the

first

of the Soreg or fence,

which played so prominent a part

in the history of the later temples.

As
enter

the Levites were forbidden to enter the sanctuary
its service,

building or to touch the vessels of
the inner court for service

but might
xviii.

(Numbers

23;

Ezekiel xliv. 11), so those

who were

neither priests nor

Levites might enter the outer or eastern court, but might

not go farther, or come near to the sanctuary of the
Tabernacle.

Permitted to throng around, and even to

touch, the altar

on three of

its sides,

they were

strictly

forbidden to pass the boundary-line which separated one

square or court from the other.
necessary,
line

It,

therefore,

became
while

from the beginning,
between

to

make some upstanding
two,

of

demarcation

the

which,

restraining the multitude, should allow the sons of Levi
to pass to

and

fro

from one court
ofl&ce.

to another accomplishing

the duties of their

Such

a line

would seem

to

have

been found in a

row

of

young palm-tree

pillars planted

on the marching boundary of the two
other one
(i.e.

courts.

Every

every alternate one) of the spaces thus

formed was
as

filled

with palm-branches interlaced.

The
noted

evidence for this will appear later.

Here only

it is

having formed the

courts,

and had

its

which divided the two termination at one end in the centre
*

fence

'

of the north gateway.

THE GATE OF WORSHIP.
This
sacrificial

175

gate

is

frequently referred to in the

Pentateuch, always under the
tent of meeting.'

name

of the 'door of the
are,

Early instances

Exodus

xl.

12

;

Leviticus

i.

3

distinguished
of meeting,'

Numbers vi. 10. It is to be carefully from The door of the tabernacle of the tent
;

'

which

is

quite another element of the design.
3, 4,

From

Leviticus

viii,

we
'

learn that at the con-

secration of

Aaron and

his sons all the congregation
'

was

assembled without this

door

or north gate.
for
all

It thus

became the place of assembly

Israel

on great

ceremonial or state occasions (Numbers

x.

3

;

Josh. xix. 61).

From
above
'

the position of the Shiloh site of the Tabernacle,

these crowds would stand on gently rising ground, tier
tier.

There was thus no attempt made
'

to

crowd

the thousands of Israel "WTien

into the narrow space of the

outer court.

filled it

would not

aflGord

standing-

room

for

more than 5,000 persons.

The East Gate.

A

point of cardinal importance to be noted in the
is

reconstruction of the eastern side of the court

that

there were on that side fifteen cubits of 'hangings' in

each of

its

corners.

That

is,

there were three spaces

of five cubits each, involving the use of four piUars on

the right and four piUars on the

left.

These having been
entities,

accounted for in the drawing as separate

there

remains the construction of the gate
for this

itself.

The hangings
all

were not of

fine

twined linen, as were

the

other curtains around the court, but of embroidered work
in blue, purple, and scarlet, on a foundation of white.

176

THE TABERNACLE.
for the gate of the court were thus similar
'

The hangings

in appearance to the

screen for the door of the tent

opposite to them.

Of
side

the fifty cubits of which the width of the court

consisted throughout, thirty were taken

up

at its eastern

by the two lengths

of corner curtaining.

Twenty
were

remain.
specified,

To

these

twenty

cubits

four

pillars

giving three spaces of 6f cubits, or exactly

ten feet to each.

Two

variations from the ordinary

appearance of the
into

enclosing curtains have

now been brought
The other the

view.

One, the embroidered appearance of the screen-of-thegate curtains themselves.
of each curtain.

greater length

A
end

third appears in the fact that
pillars of the court

we cannot imagine

the

and the end
side,

pillars of the gate

as being socketed side by

and touching one another.
to the best

Such bad form in architecture was impossible
art of

that day, leaving out of view the claim of the
its

Tabernacle and
the
'

court to have been constructed after

pattern

'

of the Mount.

It is true that

no relative position

is

given in the
are not told
it

record to the screen of the east gate.
that
it

We

was
In

to

be in the line of the hangings, or that

was

to be a certain this

number

of

cubits eastward of that
is

line.i

very openness of the question
its

to

be

found the proof of
1

not having been on the

line.

The statement that the height
was answerable

of the screen, in the

curtains,

to the height in cubits of the

breadth of iia hangings of the court
erection,

(Exodus xxxviii.
such

18), certainly implies that it

was a separate

and as

may have been

a removable one.

VESTIBULE OF THE EAST GATE.

177

That first authority oa Eastern architecture, the- late James Fergusson, has observed that the word ' gate ' ia Eastern languages has not the meaning of passage-way,
with enclosing door attached, which
languages.
of
it

has in Western

When

it ia

stated (to take one passage out
sat in the

many) that Mordecai

King's gate, we are

to understand that in the Persian palace there

was either
the

a separate hall or a well-defined space to which

name was

given.

The word gate (=
if

shaar) in the

Old

Testament has generally,

not universally, this meaning,

separate words being used for door

(=

deleth),

threshold

(z=saph), and opening {=^ pethach).
It
'

is

in this sense that the description in

Numbers

iv.

26,

The

screen for the door of the gate of the court,'
It

is

to

be

understood.
as the
'

was a screen of exactly the same width
so as to screen the opening without
left
it

door of the gate,' but placed at some convenient

distance
closing

away from
it.^

it,

That distance was

indeterminate and
to

unexpressed, for the reason that

was

be decided by
of the

the necessities of time and place.
gate was, in
fact,

The screen
future.

a moveable item, so as to meet the

growth of the nation's numbers in the
It was

at the gate of the people, thus understood, that
sat,

the elders
justice.
fires,

on lawful days,
space,

for the administration of

In

this

and within sight of the

altar

the strangers and the foreigners (who were in
stood to worship the

many

cases alien slaves)
•

God

of Israel

afar

off,'

not being allowed to come within the court of

1

Josephue speaks of the east gate as having a 'vestibule

'

[Antiq. III.

vi. § 2).

N

178
the

THE TABERNACLE.
a single word,
flood of light

Hebrew people. "We thus obtain from when understood in its Eastern sense, a

on the early religious polity of the Jews, and as we proceed we shall find that, in later ages, the most
unexpected results were evolved out of this factor of the
Tabernacle construction.

We
this

may now,

however, return

to

the

site

of the

Tabernacle when at Shiloh.

It will be

remembered that
was

was found

to be of the

right width, but 262 feet
it

longer than was requisite for the actual court, as
curtained
off.

In

this excess

we have the

requisite

room
which

for the placing of the three embroidered curtains

marked the eastern extremity of the gate. Standing upon this spot, we may recall the judicial scenes of
Joshua's later
life.

Here Eleazar, the son of Aaron, judged, and
centuries later, Eli sat, and here died.
also the

here,

With him
which
is

died

glory of Shiloh, the

site of

adduced

to-day as a witness for these pages.

The Great Altar of

Sacrifice.

On

entering the Tabernacle court

by

either

of
^

its

openings,

we
it

find ourselves opposite to the brasen

altar

of sacrifice.
distinguish

This

is

so called in these pages in order to
altar,

from a small

which had

its

place

within the holy chambers, and was
altar of incense.

known
we

as the golden

(A)

Approaching the great
'

altar,

find

it

raised

This

is

the spelling of this word in the E.Y. passim.

DIMENSIOI^S OF GEEAT ALTAR.

179

above the ground, by being placed on a platform of sods
or

unhewn

stone.

No specific

instructions as to the height
of
is its

and
its

size of this platform are given, thus permitting

enlargement from time to time.

Its

existence

involved in the directions given as to the material of
composition, and as to the

mode by which

it

was

to be

ascended.

These

may
'

be found in the
altar
'

last verses

of

Exodus
itself.^

XX., the

word

in verses 24 and 25 being

understood of the altar-base, and in verse 26 of the altar
Steps were not to be used for the ascent to the

altar proper,

and

to the

end of the Mosaic economy

it

will

be found that the great altar was always reached

by an inclined plane or slope. Mounting this, the worshippers stood beside the
of acacia-wood, overlaid with brass.
of this
is

altar

A

full description

given

in.

the

first

eight verses of Exodus xxvii.,

and

if

the scale of the ordinary cubit be applied to this

specification it will be seen that the original altar of the

Tabernacle had the appearance of a large shallow box,

which, when placed upon level ground, required neither
steps nor slope to reach its topmost ledge, or
its

any part of

receptacle for sacrificial meats.
3-|-

It was but three cubits

(=
1

feet) in height,

and was

six feet in the square.^

The

altar proper

was a
'

'box of acacia-wood, ooTered with brass plates,

and could not, therefore, be the same as the altar of earth or unhewn stone. In Ezra iii. 3 we read, they set the altar upon its base.' If we suppose the altar to have stood upon a base of two cubits in height,
'^

would then have the three dimensions of a cube, being six feet in height. the example of the cubic shape of the Holy of Holies before them, this was almost certainly the case. In the holy city seen by John the length and the breadth and the height of it were equal (Revelation xxi. 16),
it

With

180
It
is

THE TABERNACLE.
thus seen tbat priests desirous of placing on
sacrificial portions of offerings to
Its

grating

be burnt had
altar,

no need

to

do more than stand beside the

and upon

some portion

of the raised platform, the surface-level of

which had been reached by the slope seen in the drawing.
It will be noticed that two such slopes are drawn.

And

for this reason

:

—The

altar

was always approached from
It was the most highly valued

the east; in like

manner
east.

as the court of the Tabernacle

was entered from the

privilege of every worshippiug Hebrew to stand beside

the altar at the crisis of his devotions, or
of his sacrifice

when the fat was being consumed upon it.^ The touch
altar

of

the brasen

brought forgiveness and sanctity

to the sincere penitent.

No

passage of the

Law was
'

to

him more
'

significantly dear than that

which proclaimed,
(Exodus

Whosoever toucheth the

altar shall be holy

xxix. 37). 2

We

have the

New

Testament complement

of this in the miracle of healing wrought on the

woman

who touched the hem of Jesus' garment, many other of His miracles.
As, therefore, every son and daughter of

as well as in

Abraham who
we

obtained permission to enter the court of the Tabernacle
availed himself of the right to touch the brasen altar,

are to infer, on the great feast days of the Jewish Church,

'

'

I will

wash

my

hands in innocency
6).

;

so will I compass Thine altar,

Lord' (Psalms xxvi.

'The
'

altar that sanotifieth the gift'

(Matthew

rxiii.

19).

This was an

extension of the same principle, from persons to things inanimate.

The same

sanctity attached to the tent of meeting
all

and

all its contents,

to the laver, and to

the vessels of the altar (Exodus xxx. 26-29).

These,

however, neither Levites nor people were allowed to towh.

POSITION OF GREAT ALTAR.
a constant stream of suppliants ascending slope

181

and descending by the south Temples the descent and exit were

slope.
to
:

by the east That in the
be

the south will

shown

in later pages of these volumes

the slopes themas the altar to

selves always being of the

same width

which they
(B)
altar
^

led.

What
now

was afterwards called the

'

bosom

'

of the

merits a moment's attention.

This was the

hollow space in which the fat of

all sacrifices,

and the

sacrificial joints of all burnt-ofi'erings,

were placed, so as

to be

consumed by the

fire

which burned below.

A

brass
floor
altar,

grating, in one or
of this receptacle.

more

pieces,

formed the bottom or

This was placed half-way up the

and rested upon
hearth,

interior ledges.

The

tire itself,

divinely

kindled and never allowed to go out, burned on the
i.e.

on the upper surface of the platform, which

was about 21 inches below the grating (Exodus xxxviii.
1-7) .2
(C) It
is

most desirable

to fix the exact position of

the altar with relation to the Tabernacle.

These two

divinely- ordered erections cannot rightly be said to occupy
first
it is

and second places in regard

to each other.

Hence
its

improper to say either that the Tabernacle belonged

to the altar or the altar to the Tabernacle.

Each had

own

court or square, and in that had the

first place.

1

Ezekiel

xliii.

13, margin.

'

The

distinction

between these
to its fiery

is

referred to in Ezekiel
is

xliii.

15,

where

the hearth, on the upper surface of the platform,

spoken of as Ariel, or the

Lion of God, owing
•stood above this
is

powers of destruction.

The

actual altar that

called Sarel, the

Mountain of God.

182

THE TABERNACLE.
xl. 29,

From Exodus

and Leviticus

i.

5

;

iv.

7,

there

can be no doubt that the altar was brought as near to
the Tabernacle as possible
;

other factors show that

its

western edge was placed on the Soreg, or boundary-line

which separated the two
in the inner court, as

courts.*
it

This involved that a part

of the platform on which
is

stood should have been built
in the outline-plan of
(p.

shown

the court and Tabernacle already given

171).

This

arrangement was continued in the temples.
Philo, an Alexandrian Jew,

who wrote 40

a.d.,

says

that the two sides
i.e.

and the back

of the Tabernacle court,

the clear spaces, were all of equal width, whereas the

space in front was fifty cubits square.

This position for the Tabernacle within
quite in

its

court
is

is

harmony with the

fitness of things,

and

one

that would

commend

itself to

the orderly and reverential

mind

of

the early

Hebrew.

By
feet,^

adopting

it

in
side

the
of

accompanying drawings, and
the platform a length of 18

giving to each

we

find
its

that there

was just room for the brasen laver in

appointed

^

The

line of the Soreg,

on each

side of the 6 feet altar, to the edge of

the court was 34| feet.

The

spaces,

alternately filled

and

unfilled,

were

conjecturaUy each 2^ cuhits ( = 3 feet) in width. Ten such were on either hand, leaving a apace of 4J feet on the platform where the priests might pass

and repass.

There was thus an indication of the Soreg, on the platform, of
huilt in

eighteen inches.
^ As the platform had relations in size with the altar, which was medium cubits, and with the width of the court, which was measured

in large

is

it is necessary to find a figure which is commensurate with both. This found in the identity of twelve large cubits and fifteen medium cubita, each being 18 feet. This gave a walk six feet wide on each of the four sides of

cubits,

the altar.

PRE-TABERNACLE TENT OF WOESHIP.
place
'

183
altar

between

tlie

tent

of meeting

and the

(Exodu8 XXX.
the

18).^

There was thus no passage-way between the
Tabernacle,^

altar

and

a

fact

which

is

full

of
all

profound
the more

significance to the devout mind.
striking, as it

This was

was on the western corners of the altar

that the sacrificial and atoning blood was sprinkled, the

remainder being poured out into the drain at

its foot.

The Tent

of the Tabernacle.

Any

proposed delineation or model of the tent of

meeting, which does not allow of a distinction being

made

between the Tabernacle and the tent of the Tabernacle,

must

err in a point of

palmary importance.

It is to

be observed that there was, in the wilderness of Sinai,
both an altar and a tent of meeting, before there was
a Tabernacle.

Immediately

after

the covenant of the

Ten Commandments had been
and
set up,

ratified

by

their formal

popular acceptance, Moses built an altar under the Mount,
near
it,

twelve memorial

pillars,

one for each

of the Tribes of Israel (Exodus xxiv. 4). It was when standing beside this altar and these pillars that the

people were cleansed with the 'blood of sprinkling.'
1

A

section of the inner conrt, taken

from west to

east,

would give
19J 48
feet.
,,

:

Length

Space beUnd of Tabernacle Space for laver

Tabernacle

Projecting portion of altar-base

...

= 32 cubits = 1 cubit = 4 cubits =
13 cubits

IJ
6

,, ,,

50 75 some sacrifices was sprinkled upon the side of the altar That of others, round about upon the altar (Lev. i. 5). In (Leviticus v. 9) Temple. Iieither case would the priest require to stand between the altar and the
*

The blood

of

'

'

.

'

184

THE TABERNACLE.
first forty

After the account of the

days spent in the

Mount (Exodus
the camp, afar

xxiv. 18)

we have the curious statement
it

that Moses used to take the tent and to pitch
off

without
it

from the camp, and he called
7).

the
are

tent of meeting

(Exodus xxxiii.

By which we

to understand that the outspread covering

forming the

tent proper was carried to and fro between the

camp
pillars

and the

altar,

and was hung upon the twelve

standing there only on Sabbaths and at such times as
the worship of Jehovah was in progress.

This

temporary

arrangement
vision

was

ended

by

the
his
28),

realization of the

second stay of forty days in the

shown to Moses during Mount (Exodus xxxiv.

when

the plan of the altar and of a permanent and

portable place of worship was showed to him, being the

pattern of things in the Heavens.

During the
first

five

or six

months
(it

in

which the new

Tabernacle was being built

was reared up on the
and divine worship

day of the second year of the Exodus) the old

transition state of affairs remained,

continued at the altar and pillars which stood at the

nether part of the Mount.

We
and on any

cannot conceive, the twelve tribes remaining, that

the twelve memorial pillars of witness standing for them
their behalf, beside the altar, should have suffered

alteration of

number

in the

new

erection.

As the new

names

of the tribes were

engraven on the twelve stones

of the breastplate, so the dedicated pillars of the

Tabernacle could not be other than twelve in number.

The

recognition of this principle of continuity brings

PILLARS OF THE TABERNACLE.
into view the
first

185

element of the tent of the Tahernacle
It
is
-

which
pillars

is to

claim our attention.

that of the three
pole

which supported the ridge

of the tent.

These are not expressly mentioned in the accounts given
to
its

us of the Tabernacle, either in
description.

its
is

specification or

only to retain the
as

But their existence number of pillars
five
-

necessary, not

in the Tabernacle

twelve, four

and

others being mentioned, but
pole,

also to support the ridge
'

which

is

spoken of as

the middle-bar, passing through in

the midst of the

boards from the one end to the other' (Exodus xxxvi. 33).

These

pillars

being granted as essential to the support

of the tent (as distinguished from the Tabernacle),

we

have

to

consider

next

the

covering

curtains,

which

stretched across
either side

the ridge-pole and, fastened

down on

by

tent-pegs, formed the outer covering of the
is

holy chambers, and
of
'

referred to in the closing chapter

Exodus

(xl.

18-19) in the distinctive double record

And Moses

reared up the Tabernacle

....

and he

spread the tent over the Tabernacle and put the covering
of the tent above

upon

it.'

The Eleven
In the above
there being
citation

Curtains.
before us the

we have brought

two elements of which the covering of the tent consisted, now no question of the Tabernacle, or any
it,

be composed of goat's hair,
the width given to these
and three purple.
It

colours.^

It

is

Five curtains were blue, three

scarlet,

may

not be

altogether chimerical to give some traditions as to the shades of the colours

employed.

The

blue

was that of the wild hyacinth

flower, or that of the

THE ELEVEN CUETAINS OF THE TENT.
eleven curtains which has hitherto been

187

a stumbling-

block

to

all

restorers

of

the
in

Tabernacle.

The

late

James Fergusson, writing
It is true that

Smith's Bible Dictionary,
till

declares the problem to have been

then insoluble.

he advances a theory, which, being based
single cubitit.

upon the assumption that there was but a
length,
is

as inadmissible as

any that had preceded

Let us now proceed

to state the conclusions to

which

we

are brought

by the new theory of the

triple-cubit, as

derived from Babylonia, and embodied in the erections
described in the chapters of this volume.
80,

Before doing

however,

it is

necessary to deal with another factor of

the area to be covered in, hitherto unmentioned.

That

factor

is

the

porch

which stood before the

Tabernacle.

Here, again, we are met by the brevity and

ambiguity of the Hebrew records.
not

When

once the clue to

the structural meaning of the writers has been obtained,
it is

difficult so to follow it as to find in

the pages of

the Pentateuch

abundant proofs of there having been

a porch, and to discover

many

references

to it in the

terminology of the Old Testament.

Josephus shall be

our guide here.

From
priests

his Aixtiquities of the Jews

we

learn that the Tabernacle consisted of three parts, into

two of which the
ministrations.

went daily in the course of

their

But

into the third the High-priest

went
the

but occasionally.

This we

know

to

have

been

colour of a sapphire stone.

The purple was akin

to that of porphyry.

Some

of the later

Roman
colour.

royal statues have the heads of marble and the

dress of porphyry, as representing the actual colour of the robe.

The

ecarlet

was of a blood-red

188

THE TABERNACLE.
The middle one of the three spaces as the Holy Place, 'wherein were the
table,

Holy of Holies. was that known
candlestick,
ix. 2).

and the

Outside of this

and the shew-bread' (Hebrews was a third space, presumably of
is

the same area as the Holy of Holies, to which the
till

given

name

of the Porch, though this was not

its

designation

the building of the Temple.
it is

In Exodus, Leviticus,
'

and Numbers,
Tabernacle.'

usually spoken of as

the door of the

A
'

previous section of

this

chapter has

already shown to us the Eastern and archaic meaning
of the

word

gate,' as a defined space,

and not a mere
as used in the

entrance -threshold or passage-way.
this

In harmony with

meaning

is

that of the

word 'door'

description of the Tabernacle,

now

before us.

The adoption
of,

of this ancient signification as applied to
'

the texts in which the
will
at

door of the Tabernacle

'

is'

spoken

once relieve us of two great architectural
till

difficulties

which have

now

baffled all reconstructions.

One

of these

is

the allocation of the five pillars.

These

are spoken of as being the five pillars for the screen of the door of the tent, and as standing in five sockets

of brass.

It is not, however, necessary to suppose, as

does Fergusson,
simultaneously
door.

that

all

the

five

pillars

were
of

used
the

on which to

hang the screen

All were provided with
as, in

golden hooks for this

purpose,

a portable structure, sometimes one pillar

would be used and sometimes another.
capitals

All had their
of inter-

and

fillets

gilded, with the
screen,

same object

changeability.

The

which had a requisite width

THE SCREEN OF THE TABERNACLE.
of tvpelve feet only, was
its

189

hung upon two

of the pillars at

two upper corners/ the centre of the screen being
(if

supported

necessary)

three tent-poles

by an attachment to one of the which stood in the same line as the two

inner pillars.

The Screen
-TO

of the Tabernacle.

2o

ao

'\:3J3S
Scale of MEtirtrM Cubits.

^'

|d

u

fcJ

u urU

^===3!
Scale or English Feet.

By

this

arrangement of the
(p. 171), we

five pillars, as figured

upon

the Tabernacle plan

avoid Fergusson's departure

1 Like the veU of the inner sanctuary, the screen of the door was hung on rectangular, and the inner or western face of its supporting pillars. As it was it passed upward between the eighth length, in feet eighteen or cubits fifteen single and ninth curtains of the tent. These being coupled together by a likewise coupling single This this. of permitted centre, at their

attachment

at different angles, permitted of the three and the eight curtains being hung of the tent portion The representations. as shown in the accompanying the view of from 'screened' thus was Tabernacle the covered which

worshippers while standing around the altar.

190

THE TABERNACLE.
six

from the text in having
third space claimed
§ 4,

such

pillars.

We

also gain the

and

vii. § 7.

by Josephus Thirdly, we

in his Antiquities, III. vi.
satisfy the

requirements
eleven

of

the text as to

the conjoined width of the

curtains of goat's hair.

These requirements are that each of the eleven curtains
should have a width of four cubits (=4|a total width,
feet),

giving
eleven,

when

conjoined, of

52-|- feet.

Of the

one was deducted from this extension by being hung, in
halves, over either

end of the

tent,

leaving 48 feet of

curtaining to deal with.

The

application of the

cubit to the Tabernacle boards will
of Holies

show that

medium the Holy

was a cube of 12
of

had a length
have had a
three areas

24

feet.

and that the Holy Place To these we must now add the
feet,

area of the newly-recovered porch, which
floor-superficies of

we suppose

to

12 feet square.

In these

we have the

space required to be covered in

by the 48

when

its

which the goats'-hair curtain consisted, component parts were placed side by side and
feet of

coupled together, one width having been deducted for
fl.ap-end8.

The Ram-skins dyed
The eleven
tent proper. curtains of

red.

woven

goats' hair

formed the
in order
it,'

This was spread over the Tabernacle, and
it

there was prepared for
to its preservation.

a special

'

covering

'

This was put

•

above upon

as

stated in

Exodus

xl. 19.

In the
of the

LXX.

version of
is,
'

Greek reading

Exodus xxvi. 7 the translation Thou shalt make for a covering

EXTERNAL COYEEINGS.
of the Tabernacle skins with the hair on.'

191

These were

the ram-skins, dyed red, which

we

are told the people

contributed for this purpose.

There

is

no reason

to conclude that these skins

were

those of sheep rather than those of goats.
is

The

probability

the other way, the inner ten curtains being woven of

wool, the outer eleven of goats' hair.
is

The presumption
as the

that the skins sewn together, with the hair unremoved,
latter,

which rested on the

were those of goats,

Hebrew prejudice against commingling is well known. Not only are the skins of goats more durable than those
of sheep, and therefore fitter for this purpose, but the
fact of their being
this

dyed red would seem to indicate that

was done

to avoid the exhibition of the

many

colours

common
making

to goat- skins.

With

the hair turned one

way

in

up, these skins would form an outer covering,
rain.

impervious to

Besides the outer covering to the tent of goat-skins

dyed

red, there

was

also a covering of porpoise hides

above

that {margin, Exodus xxvi. 14).

I apprehend this

to

have been merely a

series of these

waterproof skins which lay above the ridge-pole, and
protected the central seam of the goat-skins.

I

am

confirmed in this view by a remark in the Jewish

on the Tabernacle, cited by Barclay {Talmud, p. 338), that the covering-above of the tent was 'like patchwork,' i.e. like a piece of cloth upon a garment.
treatise

To
of

this

may be added

the fact, recorded in the 4th chapter

Numbers, that on the removal of the Tabernacle from

192
one

THE TABERNACLE.
site to another, certain articles of its

furniture were
these

to be

wrapped in these porpoise-skins.
the

They were

six

:

Ark

of the Covenant, the table of shew-bread,

the golden candlestick, the altar of incense, the brasen
altar of sacrifice,

and

all

the vessels used in the sanctuary.

It is thus evident that these porpoise-skins

were not sewn

together, and that they were at least six in number.

Porpoise hides are
the shores of the

still

a valuable trade

commodity on
were amongst

Red
'

Sea,

and an ancient Cuneiform
'

inscription states that

skins of sea-calves

the articles of tribute sent by Hezekiah to Sennacherib.

There

is

every reason, therefore, to infer that they were

used in the construction of the Tabernacle at Sinai, as
porpoises have always abounded
of
in.

the Gulfs of Suez and

Akabah.

193

CHAPTER

II.

THE TABERNACLE WITHIN THE TENT.
rpHE
-*-

Tent

(

= ohel)

wMcli was the covering
to

thereof,'

having been shown

have been a secondary and

separate construction to the Tabernacle
are

(=

mishkan),

we

now

in a position to deal with the fabric which was

the ordained place of meeting for Jehovah and His people,
as represented in the person of their High-priest.

We

are thus at liberty to assume that the

command
was
distinct

*Let them make

Me

a sanctuary' (Exodus xxv. 8)
faithful,

an entirely new idea to the

and marked a

epoch in the religious history of the world.

The way in which this command was carried out is now to engage our attention, and it may be of advantage to know that no insuperable difficulties will be met with,
either in the piecing together of its various parts or in

the placing of the whole within the limits of the tent
built for its protection,

and

seclusion.

1.

The Floor
tent

of the Tabernacle.

As both

and Tabernacle were constructed with
it

the idea of their removal from place to place,

may be

]94

THE TABERNACLE.
first,

advisable to deal,

with the way in which
latter.

stability-

was given
board.

to the

framework of the

Each

of its

forty-eight boards

had two tenons morticed into every

These tenons, when in use, were placed in sockets

of silver, there being ninety-six such sockets for the forty-

eight boards, and four others for the four pillars of the
veil

— 100

in of

all.

Each socket was
and was of

cast or

wrought

in

a

talent

silver,

considerable weight.^

I do not think that these sockets were driven into the

ground, or even placed in holes dug for the purpose,

but that they were placed on carefully levelled ground,

and a stone pavement
Zion, and

built

up around them.

This form

of masonry was largely used in the Temples on
I
incline
to

Mount

the belief that

it

was adopted

there from the usage of the Tabernacle,
xl.

In Exodus

18 the sockets are said to have been

'

laid.'

A further consideration,
is this
:

looking in the same direction,
of Israel given to the

—In the vision of the God
it

seventy elders and others, described in Exodus xxiv.,
'there was under His feet as

were a paved work of

sapphire stone.'
of the Tabernacle,

This revelation was given before that

and would be associated with
It
is,

it

in the

minds of the beholders.
paved with stone

therefore, probable that
all

the floor of the Tabernacle and tent was at

times

—a

precaution easy to be carried out

' Professor Petrie estimates the weight of a talent of gold at 135 lbs. troy, and to contain 160 cubic inches of gold (Hastings' Dictionary, art. Goldsmith). The same weight of silver would produce a brick of half-a-cubit (=7-2 inches) in length (which dimension, or some fraction thereof, is imperative), of the same height, and of half the same width, when the socket had been

allowed for.

THE WALLS OF THE TABERNACLE.
in the desert,
building.

195

and necessary to the cleanliness of the The present paving on Mount Moriah may be
custom.
It
is five

a

relic of this early

acres in extent.

2.
1.

The Boarbs of the Tabernacle.
exact account of the forty-eight boards

We have an

or planks which,

when placed on

end, formed three of

the four sides of the Tabernacle.

Of

these,

twenty stood

on the north side and twenty on the south side of the
Tabernacle.

Six others formed the west wall, and two
erection.

were the corner-pieces of the
the trunk of a

These

last are

described^ as having been cut, in a single piece, out of
tree,

and

so

adzed and hollowed as
nails.

to

form
is

an angle, not requiring the use of pegs or
description in the 24th verse of

This

taken to be the primary meaning of the rather laboured

Exodus xxvi.
us, it

With

the secret of the cubit-length before

should

not be impossible to discover the exact size of the fortyeight boards.

The

text informs us as to two of their
to their third.

dimensions.

Josephus shall aid us as

cubits being stated to be the length of

Ten each board, we
of
this.

take twelve

English feet as

the

equivalent

A cubit
1

may know
By

and a half being the breadth of each board, we that it was 21-5- inches in width. These are
loco.
'

Hie words are, They made two other pillars, and which they placed in the eomers.' The meaning This was evidently is, that the tree-stem when squared was a cubit square. then cut out, on two of ita sides, so as to leave an angle of a palm in thickJoBephus in
cut

them out

of one cubit,

ness.

The

cubit here

is

thus one of three hand-breadths,

as

the total

measurements show.

196

THE TABERNACLE.
contains trees from which
it

measures that are not impossible, when we remember
that the Sinaitic peninsula
still

such planks

may

be cut, and that

was more thickly

wooded

in ancient times than it is

now.

The Foett-eight Boards.

jr,

*r

o

HOLY CHAMBERS EXACT
is

m

SIZE.

197

such palms made a span or small cubit, which testimony
in

harmony with

all

that

we

learn elsewhere on each

of these points.

2.

We

now come
its

to

an architectural point of some
that of the place

importance in
of the

bearing upon the internal measures
is

two holy chambers, which

occupied by the veil which separated them, and of the
screen which hid them. of IJ
cubits

It is this

:

—Six

boards, each

in

width, stood at the

west end of the

Tabernacle.

Together, they gave nine cubits of walling,

leaving the tenth to be

made

up, in halves,
fabric

by the two
It
is

corner-boards which held the

together.

obvious that to secure the ten cubits in width of which

the Holy of Holies consisted, this half-cubit

(

=2

palms)

must have been taken from the inner angle of each of
the
corner -boards,

and

not

have

been

their

outside

measurement.

Thus

far there is

no

difficulty as to the

appropriation of the spaces created by the up-rearing of the corner-boards.

But one now comes
either of the

into view.

It arises thus

:

— On
feet).

two

sides of the Tabernacle, north

and south,

there stood twenty boards, giving 30 cubits

(=36

This

is

the measure of the two chambers jointly, one
in length.

being 10 and the other 20 cubits
Just
as,

however, there was half- a- cubit in each of
-

the corner

boards added to complete the west

side,

so

there must have been half-a-cubit to add to the length
of each
of

the other sides, the angular shape of the

corner-boards being remembered.

This was, therefore,

198

THE TABERNACLE.
Half an ordinary
this

an 'excess' above what was required.
cubit,

or

two palms width, was the measure of
its

excess,

and

disposal

has been

arrived

creation

of a model of the Tabernacle, in

by the which it is
at

found that a space of one palm
for

(=

3" 6

inches) is required
veil

the four pillars

supporting the

between the

chambers, and another palm for the piUars of the screen

which closed

in the holy chambers.

The chambers themselves were thus of the exact interior
measures given, and the whole account
of supreme
is justified

as that

wisdom guiding an
-

architect to the creation

of a meeting

place

for

God and man,

in

which the

utmost exactitude and simplicity are joined
reverence and dignity.

to the greatest

3.

The Veil and

its

Four Pillars.

The Veil
as
it

of the Tabernacle has for us a peculiar interest,

was the only part of the original structure which

remained unchanged while the sanctuary of God stood.

The first two Evangelists tell us that in the Herodian Temple it was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and Luke adds that this total separation of its parts was The writer of Hebrews x. 20, in a single 'in the midst,' line, fixes its symbolic meaning in the words, The veil,
'

that

is to

say.

His

flesh.'

Known

unto God are

all

His works from the beginning,

and a singular sanctity attached to the curtain which divided the two holy chambers i'rom one another. The
material of which
it

was composed was wool, dyed in the

THE YEIL OF THE SAIfCTUARY.
three sacred colours of blue, purple, and scarlet.^

199
This

formed the woof, the warp being composed of
linen.^

fine

twined

To mark

its

separateness the whole nation was
stuff

forbidden to wear a mingled

— wool

and linen
with

together' (Deut. xxii. 11); just as they were forbidden
to

make any unguent composed

like the holy oil

which High-priests were consecrated.

The Inner

Veil.

The
12

veil,

being woven* in a single piece, to a

size of

feet square,

which we now know was the
then,

size of

the

opening between the chambers, was

embroidered in

gold thread with the forms of three or more cherubim.

The

materials

of

which the High-priest's ephod was

composed were the same as those of the inner veil, and it is in the description of this (Exodus xxxix. 2-3) that

'

Both wool and motiair were dyed in the bulk and spun, when presented
'

for weaving (Exodus xxv. 25, 26).

The warp is nothing but fine linen ' (Josephus, Ant. III. vii. ^2). This was permitted to the priests only (Josephus, Ant. IV. riii. § 11). ' Weaving was one of the arte used (Exodus xxxv. 35). The Bedaween women of to-day spin, dye, and weave wool and hair for their tents. The
*
'

strips

when woven

are about a yard wide.

200

THE TABERNACLE,
find

an account of how the work of embroidering the Cherubs was effected. The artist is always spoken of as

we
'

the cunning workman,' and his gold embroidery as the
'

work of the cunning workman.
into thin plates,
blue,

and cut

it

into

They did beat the gold wires, to work it in the
scarlet,

and in the purple, and in the

and in the

fine linen.'

Besides the High-priestly robes and the veil of the
sanctuary, the only

other fabrics so embroidered were

the ten curtains which enclosed the Tabernacle in the

whole of

its

length.
these, there is
is,

As

to all
It

one feature which

calls for

remark.

that the embroidery, and possibly the

woven tapestry of which the whole set consisted, had no wrong or seamy side. In the subsequent days of the Judges we have, in the Song of Deborah, a description of
the spoil which
it

was hoped Sisera would take from the

Hebrews.

Its last item

was

:

A

spoil of divers colours
;

a spoil of divers colours of embroidery

of divers colours,

embroidered on both

sides

(Judges

v. 30).

Such was the famous embroidery work of the Egyptians,
where the
survives. art of its creation, lost

among

ourselves,

still

Such

too, in

all

likelihood,

was the goodly
stole at Ai.

Babylonish mantle which Achan coveted and
This veil or
curtain,

heavy with gold thread, but

having no measurable thickness, was hung upon the
inner side of the four pillars
^

which

stood, in their silver

'

Exodus

xxvi. 33
'

is

not to be literally understood, but generally, in
feet

its first

clause.

The

veil

'

was 12

from the west end, and the

'

clasps

'

18

feet.

THE FIGUEED CFRTAINS.
sockets,

201

between the two chambers.*
lifted,

Once in every year

the curtain was

and the High-priest, clothed in
entered,
to

robes of white linen,

make atonement

for

himself and for the sins of the people.

rr^

j"--"!'^

The Ten

Curtains.

S^=T
Scale op Small Cubits.

^o

20

3.C*

dbf*

Scale of English Feet.

1

These four

pillars

would give three inter-columnar

spaces.

If to each

of theee be given a width of three cubits (3f feet), one cubit remains, in which to place the bases of the pillars. As the cubit here used was one of four

palms,

it

is

inevitable that each pUlar should have stood in a square of

36

inches.

This was the width of the

'

eicess

'

in this part of the Tabernacle,

as has been already

shown

(pp. 197-198).

202

THE TABERNACLE.
4.

The Ten Curtains.
which overhung the Tabernacle
to the veil of the

1.

The ten

curtains

were of similar make and ornamentation

Holy

of Holies, already described.

We

have, however,

in their case a factor given in the specification

which we

have not in the case of the
measurement.
a width of

veil.

It is that of their

To them is given, 4 cubits and a length
fell

in

Exodus xxvi.

2,

of 28 cubits.

Being

embroidered with figures of cherubim worked in gold
thread, they naturally

under the goldsmith's measure
cannot
suppose that different
of

of

construction,

as

we

measures were used in the
article.

preparation
their

the

same

When

conjoined,

width would thus be

40 small

cubits, equal to

30 medium cubits
being
the

(=36
it

feet).

Thirty cubits

and

a

half

length

of

the

Tabernacle boards when placed in position,
seen that the ten curtains
nearly
enclosed

will be

it

on

its

upper

side.

The union

of the two sets of five curtains of

in the middle would allow of the protrusion there

the second tent-pole of the three which supported the
ridge-bar.

The diameter
which case
it is

of this tent-pole

we may

appropriately

suppose to have been that of a palm of 3 '6 inches, in
permissible to think that the 50 loops in
-

each selvedge of the two edge

curtains

^

were of this

1 The loops were of a blue colour (Exodus xxyi. 4), as also were the fiye non- embroidered curtains which overhung the Holy-of-HoKes. This we know from the fact that Jive such curtains are specified to be used in the remoyal of the Tabernacle furniture (Numbers iv.). These, of course.

VENTILATION OF THE CHAMBERS.
length

203

when

joined together.

The

other palm

-

length,

requisite for the fitting of the curtains so as to wholly

cover the Tabernacle boards, was obtained by placing
the front tent -pole and the two inner pillars of the

porch within the range of the upright boards forming
the sides of the
Tabernacle.
text
is

In

this

way
as

the literal
as

accuracy

of

the

preserved,

well

the

construction difficulties overcome.
time, a reason for there being so

We
many

gain, at the
as

same

50 couplings in

the union of each of the two sets of curtains, they being
3'6 inches apart, while there was but a single one in all

other cases, which one was at the centre.

This

open

space,

overhead, in

the

middle

of

the

sanctuary, served another purpose than that of allowing

the passage of the tent-pole.

Not only was there the
branched
there
candlestick which

refuse air from the seven-

was

lit

every night, but

were the clouds of incense, which was burned
of.

twice daily in the holy place, to get rid
therefore
in

It

was

obedience

to

that

sanitary

law

which

pervades the enactments by Moses, that there should be
the means of thorough and constant ventilation in the
Tabernacle.

2.

The use

of a single cubit-length in the conception
hitherto

of the Tabernacle has

rendered abortive

all

were the curtains of goate'
is

hair, three others being scarlet

and three purple.

probable that the purple curtains overhung the porch, as Joaephus, who It had seen them, tells us that the curtains of the porch in the Temple of Herod were 'purple' {War of the Jews, VII. Ti. § 7).

204
attempts at
difficulties
its

THE TABERNACLE.
reconstruction.

Two
given.

illustrations of the

encountered

may be

One

is

from the

English translation of the Bible, 1576
the Geneva or 'Breeches' Bible.

A.D.,

known

as

A

marginal note to

a woodcut of the
*

first

covering of the Tabernacle reads,
of the

Two

curtains

and a half hung from the rear
"While
in

Tabernacle.'
Shahat,

the
:

the Rabbins

say

'

Gemara on the treatise The ten curtains were of
there remain

28

cubits.

Take away 10

for the roof,

9 cubits to this side and 9 to that.
of the boards was uncovered.'
It
is

So that one cubit

thus evident that while the Jewish authorities of

old days

had

lost sight of the short cubit as applicable

to the ten curtains, they did not, as did Mr. Fergusson,

suppose other than that they

boards of the Tabernacle.
length of these curtains
dealt with

hung directly over The recovery of the

the
true

—their

width has already been

—enables
cover

us to see that of the length given to

each and every curtain of the ten, of taken
to

25^
of

feet,

12 were

the

interior

spaces

the

two holy
either
walls.

chambers.
side, rested

Of the remainder,

^

of a foot, on

on the gilded boards of the Tabernacle

Of
or

the remainder of each curtain, exactly one-quarter,

6^^

feet of either end,

hung down on the

outer side

of the boards.

As

these boards were 12 feet in length

above the

floor, it is

easy to see that they were covered
their length.

to but little

more than one-half of

The

importance of this conclusion, so difierent from that of
the Jewish Rabbis of old, will presently appear in the
fact that the priests

on duty at the Tabernacle had their

THE TENT PORTABLE.
resting-places beneath the eaves of the tent.

205

Had

the

curtains fallen as low as has been generally supposed,
this

would have been impossible, owing

to the liability

of their being soiled.

5.

The

Stability of the Tent.

The Tabernacle and its tent were for nearly three centuries the central home of Jewish monotheistic worship.
1.

During these centuries portions of
to time, require repair
details there are naturally

it

would, from time

and renewal.
no records,
year,

Of
if

these domestic

we except the

statement of the Mischna that the curtains of the last

Temple were renewed every
of the Temple.

and that the material

of the disused curtains was used as wicks for the lamps

What

is,

perhaps, of more importance for us to know,
the narrative,
is

as tendrug to the credibility of

how,
con-

during this long period, the
structions of tent

frail

and portable

and Tabernacle, when once
stress of

erected,

maintained their stability against the
weather.

wind and
from

Regarding the former, there can be

little

doubt,

the silence of Scripture, that the three tent-poles on which the whole depended were placed in holes

dug

into the

They were simply a transfer to the new system of the old arrangement by which all twelve pillars stood beside the altar. Hence they were
ground, and firmly planted.
neither placed in sockets of any kind, nor was gilding

206

THE TABERNACLE.
Their height above ground

applied to any part o£ them.^

required to be 18 English
to

feet,

and we may suppose them
feet.

have been of the not impossible length of 20

This length was the utmost tbat was required in any
single piece of timber in the whole fabric, as neitber the

side-bars nor the ridge-bar (wbich

was in two
feet.

pieces)

required to be of any more than 18
this tends to

A

fact such as

bring the whole account within the region

of possibility,

and goes some way

to dispel doubts as to

the historicity of the whole narrative.

2.

When

the three pillars of tbe tent were placed

in

position,

and the middle, or ridge-bar, was placed
its

above them,

junction resting on the centre-pole, the
it.

eleven curtains would be stretched across

Here comes

into view one of the previsions of the heaven-instructed

For these eleven curtains were not sewn together, It is but might be separately put into their places.^ true they were coupled together,' but this was probably
plan.
*

done after their elevation.

A

single loop of one
its

was

placed within a single opposite loop of

neighbour,

and a peg of brass (gold for the inner curtains) inserted
to

keep

it

in its place.

A

single button of this kind

was

1

As no

directions as to

them were

requisite,

they are unmentioned.

The
it

want

of an historic imagination has

long hid them from sight, and

ia

possible that there are extreme Uteralists

who

still

refuse to accept them.

Their recovery

is

due to Fergusson, as

is

that of the centre-har or ridge-pole

which they supported. * This follows from the minute instructions given in Numbers iv. for the removal of the Tabernacle. Six articles were to have covering of porpoiseskins, five of curtains of blue, and one each of scarlet and purple.

THE CURTAIFS NOT SEWN.
all

207

the attachment required.^
centre,

This was uniformly placed
-

mid -

and hung above the ridge
also

pole.

This
of

arrangement
porch, as

made

possible
(p.

the
166).

covering

the

shown

in the

drawing

To

it

there was
fifty

one exception.

Between the

fifth

and sixth curtains

such double loops were specified.

The reason
it

for this

particular has not yet been discovered, unless

were

to

allow of the escape of the carbonised air from below.

In

any case the vacant spaces of the two
i.e.

sets

of curtains,

the ten and the eleven, were not directly above one

another.

That of the lower

set

was 18 feet from the west
set 21|- feet

side of the tent,

and that of the upper

from

the same.

In

this connection it will

be rememhered that

there were two outer coverings to the tent of goat's hair,

one of red goat- skins and another of porpoise hides.

These were, probably, put
closing
of

on every evening
gates,

at

the

the

Tabernacle

and

also

at

every

appearance of bad weather during the day.

The inconof.

gruity of a narrow opening between the fifth and sixth
outer curtain
* is,

in this way,

met and disposed

3.

We have seen that
'

the tent was formed of two sets

*

These were the

taches

'

of the Authorized Version

and the

'

clasps

'

of

the Eevised Version.
'

ten curtains,
or
curtains

The requirements of the space to be covered in, as in the case of the demand that this opening should be of the width of one palm, a quarter of a cubit. The use of fifty loops in each of the two sets of
was intended
to secure a ventilation-space, in each, of even width

throughout.

It would, without these frequent regulators, have

had an irregular

appearance and been wider in some parts than in others. When this object had been gained, each of the eleven curtains would be kept in its proper place

by the

straining of the tent ropes.

208
of

THE TABERNACLE.
curtains, one containing five

woven

and the other

six.

We

have now to see how these eleven curtains were
This

extended horizontally, and kept in their places.

was done by the familiar method
a

of

having tent-pegs
late survival

method which owes its early origin and to the fact of its ease and simplicity.
to

In one passage (Exodus xxxv. 18) we have a reference
'

the pins of the Tabernacle,

....
of brass.

and

their

cords,'

and in another (xxxviii. 29-31) we learn that

these 'pins,' as well as those that supported the pillars of the court round about, were

made

As

it

was a matter of the utmost importance that

these curtains should be

hung over the
more nor
site of

ridge
it

-

pole at
satisfy

an angle of 90°

—neither
know

less

—

may

some querist

to

of a simple

method by which

this

could have been done.

The

the future Tabernacle

having been selected and
of the ground.

levelled, it

was but necessary

to lay these eleven curtains outspread

upon the surface
and south
lines

By marking
at

their north

when
into

so extended,

and by driving the tent-pegs deeply
the
lines

the

ground

marked, the tent
its

itself

would have a right angle
pegs being 36 feet apart.

at

apex, the height

of

the ridge being 18 feet above the ground, and the tent-

The
of

east

and west

lines,

when

similarly marked, would
limits

be 52-| feet apart, and
the area requiring to

would give the other
be paved.

4.

The use of the expression already

referred

to,

'all

the pins of the court round about,' leaves no option but

TENT ROPES AND PEGS.
to think that each of the sixty

209

had

its

own

stay of brass pins

7^ feet pillars of the court* and cords, to keep it in
There could be
Fergusson

position, as it stood in its brass socket.

here no question of a supporting pavement, so that these
sockets were probably buried in the ground.

has represented these standards as supported in this way.

5.

While the length

of each of the eleven curtains

was 30 cubits
in

(=36

feet),

we

are not at liberty to suppose

that the whole of this length was extended horizontally

order to form the tent.

It

was not

so,

and

this

introduces us to one of the most fruitful facts about

the Tabernacle in
its place.

its

relation to the

Temples which took

From Exodus

xxvi. 13

we

learn that the cords which

attached the curtains to the tent-pegs were placed in
eyelet-holes at the distance of a single cubit from the ends
of the curtains,

A

relationship of 28 cubits

was thus

established with the 28 cubits of which the ten curtains
consisted, the fact of the cubits in each of these cases

being of different lengths notwithstanding.

There was thus produced the mathematical

result that

the line at which the one-cubit flap of the eleven curtains
• It is not certain what was the height of the hangings of the court. It was either five medium or five large cubits (Exodus xxvii. 18 and xiiviii. 18). In favour of the former is the fact that the medium cubit was that Bsually employed in weaving stuffs. In favour of the latter, the fact that in each

case above referred to the

'

five cubits

'

is

associated with other measures

which were undoubtedly those of large cubits. The height of the JRdmef enclosure wall is sii medium cubits, and is in favour of the greater height of the Tabernacle hangings, as is the fact that they were woven in lengths of
five large cubits.

210

THE TABERNACLE.
at the eyelet-holes,

hung down
of tent-pegs.

marked one-half

of the

ground-space between the Tabernacle boards and the rows

In other words, there were on either

side

of the Tabernacle five cubits

(=6

feet) covered in

and
over

overshadowed by the
to the sky. to carry
it
ojff

tent,

and

five cubits of space

which the tent cords were
In

strained,

and which was open
probable that drains

this latter space it is

the surface-water were arranged, but whether
is

was paved or not there

no evidence

to show.'

6.

It

is

to

the other covered -in space,

w^hich lay

without the Tabernacle and within the tent,
reader's

that the

attention

is

now

directed.

We

have

here

a narrow strip of tent-shadow,
Tabernacle.

on either side of the

hung

in part

form one of

The gilded boards of the Tabernacle, overby the ends of the curtains of the sanctuary, its sides on either hand. Below are the

paving-stones supporting the silver sockets of the boards.

Above

is

the extension of the goats'-hair curtains, and
side, is

towards the horizon, on either
outer curtains hanging

the fringe of the

These two spaces

down to the extent of 1^ feet. we now know to have been each of the
feet, less

length of 36 feet and of the width of six

the

palm of which the thickness of the boards
The aroMtectuial requirements

consisted.

1

of the case, however,

demand

that the
If this

same general

level of flooring should be observed in the

whole area.

were not done the apex-angle of the tent would not be a right angle. The whole area of 36 x 52f feet covered by the curtains when used as a measuring
carpet,

was probably

laid with paving-stones.

This need not have prevented

there being a depression on either side of the tent, to carry off the surface-

drainage.

DOEMITORIES OF THE TENT.
Each
square
priests

211

side

— twelve

would thus give
in
all.

six

little

areas of six feet

In

these,

without doubt, the
slept,

on duty in the Tabernacle regularly
priests'

and they

formed the precedent for the were so marked a feature of the
system of the Middle Ages.

chambers, which

later

Temples, and which

ultimately gave rise to the anchorites' cell and the monastic

The recognition

of this use of a portion of the Tabernacle

will serve to illustrate

many
is

passages of Scripture.

Of

these one of the earliest

the account of the death of

Aaron's elder sons.

These had spent seven days and

nights at the door of the tent of meeting, as a part of
their ceremonial induction to the High-priesthood.

On

their death the

two younger sons were instructed

to repass

the same period of time in meditation, prayer, and sacrifice

and not

to

go out from the door of the tent of meeting
It seems natural to suppose that

under penalty of death.
their hours of sleep

were spent in those recesses of the tent

which flanked the Tabernacle, and which may have been, from its earliest use, the dormitories of the priests who
guarded the sacred shrine (Lev.
viii.

35-36

;

x. 7).

An

acceptance of this theory

is

alone wanting to

make

the touching history of the child Samuel's call to the

ministry intelligible and doubly impressive.

Here, in

one of these

little

stone-floored cubicles, the aged Eli lay,

doubtless screened off from all around

by mats
slept,
'

or rugs

hung around

as walls.

In another compartment, possibly
tent, little

on the other side of the

Samuel

and was

awakened by the Voice,

thrice repeated.

For Samuel
Lord, where

was

laid

down

to sleep in the

Temple

of the

212
the

THE TABEENACLE.
ark of

God was'
to

(1

Samuel

iii.

3),

The

only-

alternative to

the plan here suggested as having been

adopted,

is

suppose that both Eli and Samuel slept
the

within

one of

holy chambers

whicb formed the

Tabernacle proper.
are

To anyone whose mind and memory
facts

imbued with the

and traditions of early Mosaism,

such a contingency as this will be impossible of acceptance.

7.

Thus

far

we have found

that the

means taken

to

secure the stability of the court of the Tabernacle and of the tent of the Tabernacle, were such as to increase
their usefulness as well as to ensure their continuance.

We

now come

to the

method by which tbe boards

of

the Tabernacle themselves were preserved in their align-

ment, and kept in an upright and symmetrical position.
It

wiU be

plain, even to those
art,

who have no knowledge

of

the building

that rows of 12 feet planks stood

upon

end, each of the width of 21 '6 inches, would require more

support than two tenons could give them, to keep them in
a perfectly perpendicular line of 36 feet from end to end.

Let

it

be here noted that specific instructions were

given to Moses that the tenons were not to be parts of the
boards themselves.

They were

to

be

*

morticed

'

[margin,

Exodus xxvi.

17) into the boards, separately.

This would

allow of harder wood being used for this purpose than
that of the acacia or
shittim,

and by

this

means the
Fifteen bars

holding power of the tenons would be greatly increased.

But even

this provision

was not

sufficient.

of acacia-wood were ordered to be made, five for each of

tbe three sides of tbe Tabernacle.

These bars were run

GILDING OF THE TABERNACLE.
through rings of gold, by which we are
that they were
gilt,

213

to

understand

and had an appearance
is

of gold.

The

evidence for which

this

;

—Of the 48 boards, 24 had two
must have contained several

rings in each and 24 three rings in each, giving a total
of 120 rings.

Each
if

of these

ounces of metal,

indeed they were not cut out of wood,

which

is

possible.

of gold for

Yet we do not find any appropriation the purpose of making these 120 rings. The
that, like the

inference
fixed,

is

boards into which they were
to contain, they

and like the bars which they were
'

were

overlaid with gold

'

^

(Exodus xxvi.

32).

There can be

little difference

of opinion as to the

way

in which the five bars on each side were placed with

regard to one another.

Four

bars, of 18 feet each, being
fifth

run into
'

their rings,

two above and two below, the

was used between the upper and lower sets to strengthen This would give the required break of joint. the
'

stability to the

whole of each

side.

The
is

five bars for

the west side of the Tabernacle would be shorter, and

were probably 6 feet in length.
corner-boards

It

possible here to

gain a ray of light on the obscurity in which the two
stand in Exodus xxvi. 24 and xxxvi. 29.
of the
'

The mention
entire,

one ring

'

in each of these passages

lends itself to the explanation that, the

board being

each of

its

two

sides should

have a ring for each
This was aU
(cf. p.

of the two end-bars that supported that side. that was necessary to the security of the whole
1

195).

The

rather thick gold-foil firmly on to the

gilding would be done by the usual Egyptian method of sticking wooden basis. Plates of gold beaten
foil,

thin would form the

and gum-arabic, which

is

abundant in the

desert,

the medium.

PAET

lY.

THE TRIPLE CUBIT IN BABYLONIA

AND

IN PALESTINE.

217

THE TRIPLE CUBIT m. BABYLONIA

AND
rV^

m

PALESTINE.
it is

^

the behalf of Part II. of this book,
that
it

claimed

has established the fact of there having
or cubits of the lengths given.

been three

ells

With

the

application of these measures to Babylonian antiquities

we do
This
is

not now, except incidentally, concern ourselves.

a work which

is

necessarily left

to

others

to

accomplish.

On
is

the behalf of Part III., in which the triple cubit

applied to the specification of a single structure in
it is

the Arabian desert,
already have

hoped that several points
clear.

will

made themselves

If the long-lost

key

of

an architectural enigma has been forged in our
pages, it has been
of
practically

earlier

applied
world's

to

the

elucidation
literature,

some

portions

of

the

earliest

with the result that we have recovered, not

only the actual size of the Tabernacle in the wilderness
(and this surely
accessories
is

much

!),

but also that of

its

true

and adjuncts.
these additions to our knowledge

(A)

Amongst

may

be

named

the restoration of the north gate in the court of
It is true that this result does not arise
specific

the Tabernacle.

immediately out of the application of any

measure

218
to the case.

THE TABERNACLE.
But
it

has been arrived at by the more

and thorough examination of the documentary evidence before us, which has been made possible owing
certain

to the possession of such a measure.

(B)

Akin

to this discovery is that of the place at the
*

east gate for the
it

stranger that

is

within thy gates/
of the

^

now appearing that this Commandment applied solely who joined in the worship of
(C)

injunction
to

fourth

those aliens of Israel

the true God, without the

court, at the eastern space set apart for their use.

The placing
is

of the Altar of Sacrifice

on the

line of
it

the Soreg

entitled to

mention in

this connection, as

not only allows us to differentiate between the altar and
the slope by which
it

was approached, but enables us

to

locate the laver as filling the space of-the-altar

between the platform-

and the porch-of-the-tent.

(D) In the tent of the Tabernacle
additions to our knowledge.

we have two main
with the aid

One
'

of these,

of Josephus, enables us to see that

the door of the tent of

meeting

'

was not a mere threshold or entrance- way, but

a clearly defined space,
(1

making the

sin of Eli's sons possible

Samuel

ii.

22),

and accounting for the
to trespass

restriction given
it.

to Eleazar

and Ithamar not

beyond

In the elegant addition of a porch
The presence
of strangers, both in courts of

to the ordinary

law and at the worship of and their conversion to the faith of Israel is contemplated in 1 Kings viii. 41-43, and Isaiah Ivi. 3-7. They were to be allowed to make offerings by fire to Jehovah, which comprised burnt sacrifices, votive offerings, and free - will offerings. A stringent rule forbad any distinction being made between these ofierings and those of Hebrews (Numbers xv. 14-16).
>

Jehovah, was recognised in Exodus xx. 10 and

xxiii. 9,

NEW
otherwise

LIGHT ON THE TABERNACLE.
further,

219

Bedaween tent we have,
insoluble

the solution of the
the
eleven
curtains,

problem

of

a problem so old that the Talmud, in the Gemara on

The eleven curtains Take away 30 for the roof. Fourteen remain. Take away 2 for the doubling. There remain 12, which trailed upon the ground behind, as a lady who went into the market and the ends of
it
:

the treatise Shabaf, thus states

—

'

were 44 cubits broad.

her dress followed her.'
(E) Even more important than this recovery of the

porch in
being
its

its

bearing upon the future

crown of evolution

—

—Solomon's Porch
These were the
thirty priestly

is

that of the twelve sidetent.

chambers, under the eaves of the
architectural
ceU.8 in the

germs out of which grew the

Temple of Solomon, the
(twenty

sixty in the

Temple

planned by Ezekiel

of which

were Levitical

chambers), and the thirty-eight in the Temple of Herod.

Nothing more

clearly

shows the intense conservatism

of the later Jewish hierarchy

and people in

all

things

that concerned their

national faith
i.e.

than the way in
the porch and the

which these two cardinal points,
dormitories of
their

sacred buildings,

were developed

from the model of the Tabernacle, and were not superadded
to
it,

as creations for use

and ornament.
show how great
from
the

2. These five principal discoveries will

and manifold are the
Babylonia,

results

which accrue

transfer to Mosaic architecture of the linear measures of

Taken from an age

far anterior to that of
if

Abraham,

it is

necessary to ask ourselves

the adoption

220

THE TABERNACLE.

and preservation of these measures was, in every cassj complete and entire, and if no modifications were made
in

them during the existence
(«)

of the theocracy ?
i.e.

There

is
it

one measure,
held
its

the fundamental one,

which, while

place in the Tabernacle and the
to

Temples unaltered in length, was yet subjected
different division, in its largest fraction,

a

We

have seen,

by the Jews. from the second column of the Senkereh
were originally three digits or fingers in

tablet, that there

every 'palm.'

It

was a natural and almost inevitable

result that in their

new home

beside the Mediterranean

the Hebrews should collate the fingers and the palm
(Ezekiel xl. 43), and decide that four fingers were the

equivalent of the palm-breadth.
that the hand-breadth
'

We

find, accordingly,

was repeatedly used, as in the

border

'

given to the table of shew-bread in the Taber-

nacle (Exodus XXV. 25), and in the thickness given to

the casting
(1

of

the

brazen sea

in

Solomon's
all

Temple
mind,

Kings

vii.

26).

This likewise was, in

probability

a probability amounting to certainty in

my own

the thickness of the castings

made
us

for the pillars Jachin
(lii.

and Boaz, which Jeremiah

tells

21) were hollow

and had a thickness
{b)

of four fingers.

Evidence has already

been given that Josephus reckoned four fingers as a palm.

In the description of the

colossal sea or laver in

the Temple of Solomon,
margin, that
it

we

are told in 1

Kings

vii.

24,

was ornamented with open flower-buds

placed

'

ten in a cubit.'

As

the cubit for brass-work was the one ordinarily in

use, of 14'4 inches,

we here obtain

spaces, in

which the

THE SMALL CUBIT AS A SPAN.
flowers were placed, of 1*44 inches.

221

This was a natural

but altogether unique measure, as the digit of Babylonia

was

1*2 inches,

and that of Palestine

'90 inch.

This

measure does not appear elsewhere,

so far as is

known.

The
3.

10'8 inch Measure.

It will be within the reader's cognisance that no
is

name

given to either of the three central measures in

the Senkereh tablet or on the scale of Gudea.

They

have been called
before us.

'

ells

'

as

a

matter

of convenience,

but this name has no warrant in either of the documents

The

smallest of these three measures has, however,
'

been referred to as a
a cuneiform tablet in

span.'

This name

is

taken from

which
'

it is
'

stated that the walls of
in length.

Khorsabad were 24,740

spans

Khorsabad
built

was a royal suburb
.722 to 705
B.c.i

of

Nineveh,
reigned

and
over

was

Sargon the Second, who

by Assyria from

The suburb was enclosed by its own walls, which formed a parallelogram of more than a mile, and are
still
'

standing

!

The

inscription

of

the tablet

reads

Three ners-and-a-third, one stadium, one fathom-and-

a-half,

two spans:

this is the

dimension of the wall.'

This capital inscription for the restoration of Assyrian measures has been thus wrought out by Oppert
:

1

He

is

mentioned in Isaiah xx.

1,

and was the father of Sennacherib, who
volume of

succeeded him.

A

popular account, with illustrations, of Sargon's palace at
'

Khorsabad

is

given in the

Assyria

'

Thb Stoky

or the Nations,

pp. 278-294.

222
31

THE TABEENACLE.
ner, of 7,200 spans each

1 stade, or tenth of ner
^

= = =
.

24,000

720
18

IJ fathoms of 12 spans, each

fathom being -^ of stade
2 spans
. .
.

.

.

.

2
24,740 spans.

Total circuit of walls

.

.

The

walls themselves have been repeatedly measured,

with the result that they are known to contain 7,422
yards of masonry
;

there being exactly 6,000 spans or

1,800 yards in each of the shorter sides, and rather more
in the longer ones.
If,

therefore,

length of the wall by
i.e.

the

we divide the total number of units recorded,
arrive at the result that

22,266 feet by 24,740,
'

we

each

span

'

was 10'8 inches in length.

(a) It is

unfortunate that the word 'span ' has associations

of physical

measurement in our language which have led

to a very general idea that a span of 9 inches

was the half
meant,
in

of a cubit of 18 inches.

This idea has no foundation in
the half of a cubit
is

Eastern metrology.
it is

Where

so stated, as in eight passages in

Exodus and two
it

Ezekiel.

These ten instances should lead us to seek for

another meaning to the designation than that
half of any cubit-length.

was the

It was, in fact, nothing less

'

TUs

line is a striking
6)

commentary on, and confirmation
same length as the

of,

the result
here

sub-column (No.

of

the second column of the

Senkereh tablet, which
'

shows a

total of twelve small ells of the

spans

'

referred to.

It was, therefore, a table of the fractions of a small fathom, as

well as of the fractions of a small eU.

TESTIMONY OF THE TALMUD.
than anotter way of defining the short
in
cubit.

223
have

We
the

the

43rd chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy
in
juxtaposition.

two
the

measures placed

In

verse

13

prophet states the width of the masonry which carried
the grating of the altar as
'

a span

'

(=

j^^

of a foot).

In

the next sentence but two he gives the width of the altar-

drain as being half-a-cubit in width
is

(i.e.

ordinary), which

spare

equivalent to f of a foot, this being the exact space to when all the other measurements of the court and of
for.

the altar have been accounted

This should be decisive

as to the distinction between the span and the half of

any

one of the three cubits derived from Babylon.
(6)

It has already been

shown

(p.

202) that a cubit of
is

three-fourths the length of another

the only possible

explanation of the ten curtains of the Tabernacle being
fitted into their places, the reason

being that they alone,

the veil excepted, were decorated with figures worked in

gold thread.

It follows that the

Golden Table

^

and the

Ark

of the Covenant were designed

by the same measure.

* The Jerusalem Talmud amehs or cubits

states

(Menakhoth. 97a) that there were three

(1) (2)

The smallest, of 5 hand-breadths, measured the vessels of the Temple. The medium, of 6 hand-breadths, measured the buildings, and consisted
of two spans. (The length of the third
is

(3)

not given.)

If to these hand-breadths

will have 18 inches

we give * width of 3-6 inches, the small cubit and the medium 21-6 inches, the half of which was
glosses

a span.

These

details

when

written,

modem

were those of the Egyptian cubits, and were thus, on foundations of historical truth. We may be

grateful for the general support they give to these pages, as to the difference of a palm between one cubit and another, and of the uses to which two of

them were

put.

224

THE TABERNACLE.
latter

The
in

was an oblong box of 2| cubits (=27 inches) length, its height and breadth being each 1| cubits
inches).

(= 162
root of

These measures are given by Josephus

as being respectively five

and

three

'

spans.'

Here

is

the

much

misapprehension, caused probably by the

Greek
of

scribes

employed by Josephus

to translate his

work

being familiar with the Egyptian cubit of 21 "6 inches,^

which the span was exactly one-half.

Instead of
is

dividing these figures, or giving them in cubits, as

done with regard to the Golden Altar of Incense, this
error, arising

from mental indolence or confusion, has
with widely misleading
effects.
is

come down
(c)

to us,

Elsewhere the language of Josephus
height was

irreproach-

able, as in
(1
:

the case of the height of Goliath.
'

Samuel and

xvii, 4) tells us that his

six cubits
:

a span.'

These being commensurated thus
.
.

6 cubits, each 14*4 inches
1 span ..
..

=
=:

..

.

.

864 108
97-2

inches.

„
„

give us a total of

.

.

.

.

In the Septuagint translation of the Old Testament,

which dates from the
the

close of the third century B.C.,

and

in the Antiquities of Josephus, belonging to the close of
first

century

a.d., Goliath's

height

is

given at

'

4 cubits

^ Edersheim has remarked that the representation of the Shew-hread Table on the Arch of Titus is less in size than we should expect from its description. His cubit was one of 18 mches. It is to be hoped that some future visitor

to

Eome

will test its dimensions

by a cubit

of 10-8 inches,

and make public

the result.

THE STATURE OF GOLIATH.
and
a
span.'

225

There

is,

however, no real discrepancy

here with our English Bibles,

when once the metrology
its

of the subject is understood in

geographical and
as understood

chronological relations.

The
itself

'cubit,'

by

the Greeks

(the

word

being the

ammah

of the

Hebrews, and the ammatu of the Assyrians), was that
of the Egyptians, with

whom

they had more intimate

relations than with the Jews.

The Egyptian
its

cubit being

one of 21 "6 inches,

the

height

of Goliath
length.

was
to

best

expressed, for Greek readers, in

Not
;

have

done so would have been to mislead, and to excite ridicule

and doubt.

Hence we have

this

commensuration
. .

4 cubits, each 21'6 inches
1 span, or half-cubit
.

..
. .

Total as before

•

.

= = =

86'4 inches.

108
97-2

„ „
^

{d)

The

short measure before us

is

thus seen to have
'

several

Scripture names, being
of

called

cubit

'

in

the

description
*

the

golden furniture of the Tabernacle,

span

'

in the size of the High-priest's breastplate and
It has also a third designation

in the height of Goliath.
in the

Book of Judges (iii. 16), where Ehud is said to have made a dagger of a cubit or span in length. The word gomed occurs here only in the Hebrew scriptures, and is taken to mean a short cubit, as in the Greek
translation of the
1

LXX.

the translation gives 'span or

The height

less

of Goliath was thiis %-^ English feet, which is somewhat than that of the Chinese giant, Chwang, lately exhihited in Europe,
ft.

whose height was 8

6 ins.

226

THE TABEENACLE.
with what
this
is

half-cubit,' in accordance

said above.

The

fact

that

he made
it

it

of

length
to

shows that he
be the
highest

consecrated

to

what he deemed
this

patriotic purpose, as

was

the most sacred cubit of

the Jews, being that of the vessels of the sanctuary.

The
4. This

14"4 inch

Measuke.

was the common measure, by which everything

not excepted in the goldsmith's and surveyor's depart-

ments was measured.

We

have seen that
'

it

applies to the height of Goliath.
'

It was that

cubit of a

man
was

by which we are
feet,

to read the

size of the sarcophagus of Og, king of Bashan.

Being

four cubits in width,
in length,
it

it

4-|-

and being nine cubits

was

10|- feet.

These measures are large, but

are not marvellous, and they are not given as those of his

physical proportions.

This was emphatically the builders' cubit, and after

having

gone

through

every

item of

every building

specification in the Bible, I can state that it requires

no

modification, nor,

if

a single clerical error in Ezekiel be
to yield

excepted, does

it

fail

good and true results in

every case.
{a)
(i.

Some
late

walls

of

Babylon, described by Herodotus
this measure.

178), were possibly built by

We know,
'A

from

German

researches, not yet concluded, that the

walls in question were not those of the city, but of the
citadel.

He

does not say more than that

wall has

been raised to the height of two hundred

cubits,

with

THE CUBITS OF HERODOTUS.
a width of
fifty.

227

Now

the royal cubit
^

is

longer than

the average cubit by three fingers.'
If a cubit of

an English foot-and-a-fifth be understood,
If the cubit

the measures will be 240 feet and 60 feet.

of a foot-and-a-half be used, they will be 300 feet and

75

feet.

Neither of these

results

was impossible of
is

attainment for an inner fortress, but the smaller
likelier.

the

What

alone at present

is

certain

is

that the

walls of the

citadel

were not built with the span of

Ehorsabad, and that these through measures were not
those of the famous walls of the city of Babylon, but of
its

central citadel.

The 18 inch Measure.
5.

Certain portions of Ezekiel's specification are written

in large cubits, the fact being in every case notified.

In

addition to the ground-areas of the courts of the Temple

being uniformly given in 18 inch cubits, the measure-

ments of the Great Altar of
entrance-gate and
its lodges.
is is

Sacrifice

are

so

given.
east

Likewise those of the outer wall,

its steps,

and the

With

these exceptions the

large cubit, in his pages,

invariably one of open spaces.

This fact

is

one which
is

capable of demonstration, but

the demonstration

involved with that of other lengths

referred to in these pages, and with some not mentioned,

but which were used in the building of the Herodian
'

This

is

independent testimony as to the primary division of the palm into

three fractions, as

shown in Part II. of this volume (pp. 124, 148). It may be an aid to the memory to know that each of these fractions or ' fingers was one-tenth of an English foot in length.
'

228
Temple.

THE TABERNACLE.
The proof
is

one that
will

is

too long for these pages,
all

but

if

opportunity

oflFers it

be made public, so that

may judge
(ffl)

of the case as a whole, as bearing

upon the use

of this family of measures in the

Holy Land.

Turning

to Babylon,

from which they were derived,

we

find

an incontrovertible embodiment of the large cubit

in the Great

Tower

of

Nebo, at Borsippa, near the ruins
is

of Babylon.

This ancient temple

now known

as the

fci

S

I

iS!
I

•3

71

I

I

TjOOcuLIU

Reconstruction Plan of the Birs-Nimroud.
Scale,

50

feet to half

an inch.

1 cubit

=

1J

feet.

mound

of Birs-Nimroud,

and has been more carefuUy
ruin.

examined than any other Babylonian
Rawlinson's account of
it is

Sir

Henry

contained in the eighteenth
{old style).

volume of the Royal Asiatic Society's Journal

From

this it appears that the partially- erected

tower had
B.C.,

stood for 600 years,

when Nebuchadnezzar, about 600
from tbe data arrived

determined on
It
is

its

completion.
at, all its

possible to deduce

proportions as they were originally designed.

Tbese are

THE BIRS-NIMROUB.
most
briefly stated in a series of tables of distances

229

—

all

the cubits used being of

the

length of 18 inches
it

—

accompanied by a drawing of the tower, as appeared in outline when completed.

must have

The

tables are as follows

:

1.

Measures of Stages and Terraces.
of

1. 2.
3.

Height

basement
,

6 cubits

Width Width Width Width

of rear terraces

of basement side-terraces

4.
6. 6.

Height of upper stages
of upper side-terraces
,
.

.

Height of lower stages.
of front terraces

,

7.

230

THE TABERNACLE.
it,

immediately below

tte

foundation

basement being

18 cubits larger than the stage immediately above it. The top of the tower was a plain surface of 21 feet
each way.

Geometric Principle of the Tabernacle Tent.
{The shaded portion represents the proportions of the Tent oj the Tahernacle.y
'

The diameter

of this circle

is

3"6 inches, and is

drawn

so as to act as

human pahn, which is believed Each reader may test its to be the fundamental of all length-measures. correctness, as an average, by placing his own hand over it.
a standard of measure for the breadth of the

INFLUENCE OF BABYLON IN
(b)

ASIA.
this

231

Measures apart, the point

at

which

ancient

structure touches the architecture of the Jews lies in this
fact
:

— The

total height of the JBirs is estimated to

have

been 100

cubits, or

150 feet
feet.

;

the total width to have been

200

cubits, or

300

It is in exactly these proportions
its

that the Tabernacle in the Wilderness was erected,

height being 15 cubits and

its

width being 30 cubits.

The predominance
its fractions,

of the Babylonia cycle of 60

and

in the constituents of the Tabernacle, is too

apparent to have escaped the reader's notice.
exception
is

The one

the length of

'

an hundred cubits ' given to
that this
real.

the court.
consisted of

It is now, however, apparent that the court

two squares of

fifty cubits each, so
is

exception to the rule of sixties

more apparent than
is

By

the form of the specification, attention

called to the

fact that all parts of the court

had an equal

sanctity.
is

Not

less significant

than these coincidences

the fact

that the twelve uprights of the Tabernacle,

i.e. its pillars,

were arranged in groups of
recalling to
three, four,

three, four,

and

Jive

;

thus

mind the
^

allocation of

palms in cubits of

and five hand-breadths. and

The discovery
ones,

of this

last-mentioned fact has led to the conclusions of these
pages.

Other,

still

more important

are to

follow in subsequent volumes from the same premises.^
These figures being multiplied together give the cycle of 60.
is

'

The

far-reaching influence of Babylonian supremacy in Asia

seen in the fact

that the Chinese and the Hindoos of to-day reckon the passage of their years The native Chinese also have three in periods of 60, and not in hundreds.